Star Trek: Starbase 777 - fds-vulcan-sun︱theatre

The ship’s theater hummed with anticipation, its curved walls and velvet accents giving the space a warmth that set it apart from the more utilitarian corridors of the cruise liner. Rows of plush seating fanned out from the stage in a wide arc, every chair lovingly worn from nights of laughter, drama, and standing ovations. Above, the balcony lights glowed a soft amber, casting gentle shadows over the carved railing where guests would soon lean forward in breathless delight. Just outside the entrance, the box office flickered with holo-displays—With Love From the Siren flickered with scrolling names pulsing in violet blue against a brushed Duranium counter. A pair of bynars in crispy tailored uniforms handled final ticket pickups, sharing smiles and programs with last-minute arrivals. Backstage, the rhythm was brisk but familiar. Crates of props were neatly stacked along the walls, racks of costumes wheeled into place, and the air carried the mingled scent of makeup, fresh fabric, and ozone from active lighting rigs. Stagehands moved with purpose, their voices low, their hands sure. And in the corridor between the dressing rooms and the wings—where performers paused in those last moments before becoming someone else—Melody and Alyssa stood apart from it all.....

Instead of the pristine white baker's uniform and hat that she wore on a normal basis, Melody was now fully in costume. It was a hybrid blend of the mythological creature with modern fabrics, designs, and shapes. Sequins glittered in the nearby light. Melody's makeup made her look pale, aged, and decrepit, and she wore opaque contact lenses in her eyes. Her hair was wavy and long, no need for a wig. Melody did a few quick lip trills, ascending and descending her voice through bubbling her lips. "Alright," Melody remarked, breathing out. "I think I'm ready."

"You are ready," Alyssa reminded Melody, keeping her hand on Melody's shoulder, and watching as she did the warmups. "This is such a big moment for you. I can't even express how proud of you I am." As she reached to give Melody a hug, she kept her embrace gentle as to not mess up Melody's costume or makeup. "What are you thinking, Mels?"

Melody chuckled. "Heh, a big moment? That's an understatement," she added to Alyssa. "It's been years since my last show. To come back after all this time and have it be my Equity principal debut? That doesn't happen often for people. Like, at all. I'm super blessed." Melody also carefully completed the hug with Alyssa, setting her head slightly on Alyssa's shoulder. "Thanks for being here for me and supporting me backstage," Melody thanked Alyssa. "You're the bestest girlfriend in the universe."

When Alyssa finally let go from the hug, she kept her hands on Melody's shoulders, and leaned in to give her a gentle peck on the lips. "Of course, Mels," Alyssa replied. "I'm glad Dylan and May let me be here backstage with you. Anything to support the bestest girlfriend in the universe, eh?" She said back to Melody, to hopefully get her to laugh and ease her nerves.

Over the paging system, a familiar voice rang out. It was the stage manager. "Attention cast, this is your half hour call, half hour until the top of the show, half hour, thank you." (edited)

After the quick peck on the lips, Melody heard May's voice over the page system, and temporarily froze to listen. Once May was over, Melody moved again. "Oop! Half hour! I gotta do some last minute preparations. Love you girlie!" Melody said, giving her another quick hug before she scurried off!

Alyssa also heard the stage manager over the page system and looked to Melody once she was done. "Yes, you're almost there. Go get 'em, tiger. Love you too!" Alyssa replied, and watched as Melody scurried off...

Dylan wasn’t nervous—he’d sat through too many opening nights to let nerves get to him now. But this one felt different. The cast was tight, the music had teeth, and Melody—she had it, even if she didn’t see it yet—the kind of spark that made you lean forward in your seat and believe. Sitting alone in the dim theater, rows of empty chairs stretching out before him, he let himself feel it for once: a quiet pride, a flicker of hope. Then came the faint creak of a door somewhere in the wings. He turned, but saw nothing. Just shadows. The comm crackled with the time of the call. Time to move the show was going to start. He stood, smoothing out his jacket, brushing off the moment. Melody was waiting. She didn’t know it yet, but this could be the shot—the one that might carry them both to Broadway. And before the lights came up, she needed someone to remind her she belonged. And Dylan? Maybe he needed to hear himself say it, too. He slipped out the back and into the winding maze of corridors to find her.

The singing baker, who definitely wasn't baking but was about to be singing, continued her journey towards the dressing rooms. She wasn't really paying attention to anything or anyone else given she was about to do a show. However, it was when she noticed a familiar face approaching when her attention perked up. "Hey Dylan!" Melody greeted him with a smile and a wave. "How are you feeling for our first preview?"

Dylan grinned as he spotted her and waved back, eyes lighting up like he’d just seen the headliner—which, to be fair, he had. *“Hey, there she is,” *he said, quickening his pace. “I’m good, but this? This moment’s not about me. I need to know you’re ready.” He stopped just short of her, eyes steady. “Hey, stop for a second… You need to hear this. You’ve done the work. You’ve got the talent. But more than that? You’ve got presence, Melody. When you walk out there, the whole room’s going to feel it shift—and that’s not something you can teach. That’s just you.”He let that hang for a beat. “This preview? It’s the first step. You don’t have to crush it all at once. Just show up, spark the match, and let the fire catch. I’ve seen what you can do—and I need you to believe it too.” He gave her a crooked smile, trying to play it cool, but the buzz in his voice gave him away. “So—what do you say? Ready to light it up?”

Melody was going to continue on her way, but from what Dylan said, even from the 'there she is,' that brought her to a halt, and she stopped to listen to what he had to say. If the director of a show had something for the lead, she'd best listen to it and heed what the director had to say, especially before a first preview performance. Melody looked into his eyes and nodded as she understood each bit of what he told her. This was the big first step. Lighting the match? Yes... it all made sense. "I believe it," Melody agreed with him. "I'm so proud of myself for going this far and being so much more confident and sure of myself than in the past. I won't let you down, I promise. I'm ready to light it up!"

Dylan smiled, steady and sure, and gave a quiet nod of approval. *“That’s all I needed to hear.” *He took a half-step back, hands resting on his hips like he was mentally checking off a list. *“You’re more than ready, Melody. You earned this. Now go get ready—and own that stage.” *With a light, two-finger salute, he turned and strode down the corridor toward the control room, his pace purposeful. He didn’t look back, leaving Melody alone with her thoughts.

The hallway buzzed around Melody as the director’s words faded behind her — cast and crew moving with increasing urgency, lights flickering gently above, someone calling out for a prop refill downstage. The moment was hers now. Whether she paused to center herself or turned back toward the dressing rooms to prepare, the next step was hers to take.If she decided, though, to make her way back toward the dressing rooms, the corridor curved gently past a bank of stacked light crates and into a quieter backstage lane — a place where conversation carried just a little farther. And there, just ahead, two crew members stood deep in quiet conversation.

When Melody turned the corner, one of the crew members adjusted their headset, glancing briefly down the hallway in the other way before speaking in a low voice. “You’re sure you saw Dylan leave with Alyssa?” he asked, doubt creeping into their tone. “Because I swear he was just talking to Melody — like, a minute ago. Not even.”

The other tech shifted their weight, arms crossed, brow furrowed in thought.“I think so? It was quick. I just caught them out of the corner of my eye. But Alyssa definitely followed someone who looked like him. Maybe it wasn’t Dylan. Still… kinda weird, now that I think about it.”

May heard something come through on her headset. Something foreign that she wasn't expecting. "Everything alright down there, deck crew?" May asked the two techs on their headsets.

Meanwhile, Melody wasn't the wiser. After Dylan left to go into the control room, Melody did have to take a moment and consider... this was actually happening. Surely she wouldn't cop out now. She'd worked so hard for this. But this was the first time anyone had ever played the Siren, in any capacity like this. So she had best get it right. For Dylan. For Alyssa. For herself. After a long moment, Melody finally began making her way down the corridor... and her ears picked up on the conversation being had between the two techs... "Hey y'all," Melody said. "I heard something about Alyssa?"

The vulcan looked up as Melody approached, offering a sheepish smile as they adjusted the coil of cable draped over their shoulder.“Oh — hey. Yeah, nothing serious, just a weird little moment earlier.”They scratched behind their ear, visibly turning something over in their mind before continuing. “I could’ve sworn I saw Alyssa walking out with Dylan — like, leaving the theater. Through the side access near the lift. Looked like he was leading her out, like they were going somewhere private? I figured it was some last-minute director thing.”They glanced toward their colleague, as if hoping for backup.

The second tech frowned, still clearly puzzling through it.“Thing is... I swore that he was talking to you the whole time.”He shifted his weight, glancing down the corridor behind Melody.“So maybe it wasn’t him? Or maybe she just stepped out with someone else and you got turned around.”Then, with a small, nervous laugh:“Honestly? Preview nights are nuts. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing people in two places at once.”

Melody thought about it for a second. Dylan in two places at once? Wasn't possible. "Well hey, also, Dylan isn't the only one dressed up tonight," Melody said, trying to rationalize things for them -- and for herself. "Odin has a suit on, Shrini has a suit on, Amart's here and they've got a suit on. We're all stressed, I'm stressed, you both seem stressed. Maybe that's all it was," Melody said.

The second tech let out a breath, clearly grateful for Melody’s attempt to make sense of things. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said, nodding. *“Everyone’s dressed up, everyone’s running around — easy to mix people up, especially in this lighting.” *He gave a quick chuckle, though it didn’t carry much weight. “Last thing I need is to start imagining people disappearing through walls before curtain,”

Footsteps echoed softly from the far end of the corridor as Alyssa rounded the corner, walking with the calm, unhurried confidence that always seemed to follow her. She held a half-empty water bottle in one hand, her posture relaxed, expression smooth — but perhaps just a little too composed. As she approached, she offered the group a familiar smile, her eyes settling on Melody. “There you are,” she said warmly. "Dylan sent me to check in. Said you were in your head again — getting that look you get before you either crush the performance or disappear into the walls.” Her tone carried a playful ease, the kind meant to reassure, as she stepped in closer with quiet familiarity. “Figured I’d catch you before either happened,” she added with a slight grin. “Everything okay back here?”

Melody looked back over toward Alyssa, who was right on cue for the conversation at hand. She wondered why Alyssa was back here already, after saying that she should go get ready. But, Dylan was the boss, so if he figured Alyssa could help, then that was necessary. "Lyssaaaa!" Melody said, giving her a hug. "That's so nice of Dylan, having you check on me for him. I'm doing okay! I was talking with the techs, the stress is getting to all our heads, not just mine. So it isn't just me you should be worrying about, it's everyone."

May did hear a bit of the conversation over her headset, through the techs' headsets. "So what I'm hearing is that all is well backstage, deck?" May asked, trying to get to the point. "The house is open and the audience is filling the seats. If there's something we need to address, we need to address it now."

Tech B adjusted the coil of cable on their shoulder again and leaned toward the comm just enough to be heard. “All’s well back here, May,” They said, keeping it casual but alert. “No signs of trouble — probably just pre-show jitters playing tricks on us.”

"Very good, thank you," May said. "Deck, please begin your pre-show checks. Please take this time to also get some water before the show, we are not stopping tonight for any reason unless it is urgent." She then waited a moment, and paged the whole backstage area. "Attention cast and crew, this is your 15-minute call. 15 minutes, 15, 15. Thank you. 15 minutes!"

Alyssa blinked, just a second too slow. Then she smiled and returned the hug with practiced ease. “Oh, you know Dylan,” she said lightly. “Always overprotective when the stakes are high. He wants you to shine tonight, like always. Everyone’s running around like it’s the end of the world, but honestly… you’re the one holding this whole thing together.” She stepped just out of the way, but stayed close. “So I’ll hang out while you get ready, if that’s okay. No pressure — just here if you need me.” Her voice softened, her posture relaxed, like she’d done this a hundred times before. “Sometimes it’s just easier to breathe when someone’s nearby.”

"Yeah, he's definitely stressed too, I saw it when I talked with him," Melody remarked. "I mean, technically yes, my role holds the show together -- and thank you, of course! But when this show starts? It's not about just me anymore. You've seen this cast, everyone is so fricken' talented. Especially for this run, a show like this is insanely demanding of the cast, and they deliver every single time. This is a team effort. Always has been." Melody looked curiously as Alyssa spoke. "Sure! We have our last minute warmup soon, Odin should be here any minute now. Thanks for being here, lovely!" Melody said to her.

And no sooner did Melody mention Odin than the man himself showed up, carrying his portable keyboard and stand. It wasn't a massive thing to carry, or at least Odin made it seem very easy to carry around. The man indeed was dressed in a tuxedo, as Melody suspected -- and he stopped upon seeing the group. "How we feeling tonight, friends?" Odin asked. "First preview. Everyone got their jitters out?" He joked, before he turned to Melody. "How's the high B5 feeling for you right now, Melody?"

Melody's demeanor lit up when seeing Odin. Not that she necessarily obsessed over him, she didn't -- she was just happy to see someone she did recognize and could tell the difference from Dylan. "Hi Odin!!" Melody greeted him. "We were just talking, we're trying to get the jitters out, at least. I think I have the B5, once we warm up I'll definitely have it."

Odin nodded in understanding to Melody. "Wonderful, I can't wait to hear it and I'm certain the audience can't wait to hear it," Odin said, before he turned to Alyssa. "Your girlfriend is insanely talented, you're very lucky to have her," Odin said to Alyssa. He shifted the weight of the keyboard, then said to Melody... "Right, well, let's head on to the breakroom, and get this warmup started, shall we?"

Alyssa smiled politely at Odin’s compliment, offering a soft * “I know, right?” *Before looping her arm gently through Melody’s as they headed toward the breakroom. Her tone remained light and casual, but she leaned in slightly, voice dropping just enough to make it feel like a private aside. “Hey… just a quick check-in. You’re still pulling back on the bridge tonight, right? Dylan said it was coming off a little strong yesterday. I know it threw you when he brought it up, but I figured you were just too focused to say much.” She gave a warm squeeze to Melody’s arm, then added, “Don’t worry, I think you were better before that note anyway. But if that’s what they want, it might be best to stick to it—for now.” As they reached the door to the breakroom, Alyssa let go and took a small step back, offering Melody a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. *“Oh—and be careful with your mic pack tonight, okay? You’ve been brushing that cable hard when you do the head turn in the duet. I noticed it buzzed on your last tech run. I almost said something earlier, but I didn’t want to stress you out more.” *She shrugged, seemingly innocent.

"Hehe, yes we shall!" Melody said and then giggled as she took Alyssa's arm and they both headed together to the breakroom. Then Alyssa's comment -- it... seemed rather specific. Not that she minded having feedback from her girlfriend, but that was way more of what the director would handle. "Oh! Uhhhh..." Melody responded, kind of taken aback. "I mean... Yeah, I'm doing what Dylan assigned me," Melody said. "They know the show best, so." Melody went a little further into the breakroom before she heard Alyssa's other comment. Now this seemed a little more constructive. "Oh! I have?" Melody remarked. "Huh! I didn't notice. Thanks for telling me, Lyss!" She responded, before she moved over to where Odin was setting up.

Odin opened up the carrying case for his portable keyboard. It wasn't the fanciest keyboard in the world, it just did the job when the cast needed it. Odin flipped open the keyboard before he set it onto the stand, and plugged it into the small speaker inside the breakroom. After a moment, he tested the keyboard -- digitized piano notes sounded out from the speaker. "Alright, everyone, this is it," Odin addressed the cast who was in the room. "Let's go through our normal warmups, and get this show on the road." He began to play a simple C-chord structure, before descending the notes in the scale. "Eeee-eeee-aahhh-ahhh-ahhh," Odin demonstrated. "And." That was the cue for the rest of the cast to join in.

"Eeee-eee-aahhh-ahhh-ahhh," Melody and the others sang in response, before she heard the scales ascend a half-step, and Melody and the cast repeated the line. "Eeee-eee-aahhh-ahhh-ahhh," she sang out.

Odin repeated these scales a few times, ascending a few times, before he stopped at about a major fifth upwards. Then, he went back down to the C-chord and began playing a little faster. This was a new warmup. "Zingamama zingamama zingamama zingamama zing zing zing," he demonstrated. "And."

"Zingamama zingamama zingamama zingamama zing zing zing," Melody sang the scales in response to Odin's prompt. She heard the scales ascend a half-step, and sang with the cast accordingly. "Zingamama zingamama zingamama zingamama zing zing zing," she sung.

The musical director continued playing and ascending each chord structure a half step until about a major seventh above the C-chord. Then, he refrained from playing. "Lip trills," Odin instructed. "Brbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbbrbrbrbrbrbrbr." As his vocal inflection changed from low to high and back to low again.

"Brbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbrbr," Melody's lips trilled and she warmed up her voice, the lows to the highs, as Odin instructed.

Odin nodded, seeing the cast latch onto it. He went through a few more lip trills with the cast, then moved on. "Alright, now take a deep breath in," as he inhaled audibly through his nose, then put his hands on his diaphragm... "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Diaphragms, everyone. Go."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha," Melody and the cast repeated, putting their hands on their diaphragms, to become more aware of them and proper support for singing and projecting their voices.

After that was over, Odin took a moment to think about what he was going to say. Then... "I'm not the one usually to give these sorts of speeches, usually Dylan is the one to do it," Odin said. "And I'll make this quick, obviously. You're surpassing every single expectation we've had of you since the start of the rehearsal process. Every single one of you has bent over backwards to make this show a reality, and for that, I cannot thank you enough, but also, I cannot stress enough how proud you all should be of yourselves. This is an accomplishment unlike any other. This show's music and lyrics are difficult, and you all make it look effortless. I am so proud of you, every single one of you. Go out there and show the Vulcan Sun what you're made of. You've got this."

May's voice rang over the intercom. "Attention cast and crew, this is your 5 minute call. 5 minutes until the top of act one, 5 minutes, 5 minutes. Thank you."

Odin's eyes gravitated towards the intercom speaker, then when May was done, he turned back to the cast. "Right on cue," Odin said. "Okay, so, Dante is out today, so I will be conducting the show. Stay focused, and remember that you are making this score come to life. Have a great show, everyone!" Odin said, as he started to pack away his keyboard.

Alyssa didn’t leave immediately when the others began drifting toward the wings. Instead, she lingered, watching Melody with that calm, steady gaze that was always hard to read. She stepped in again, voice soft. “You’re locked in tonight. But I can tell—you’re burning hot. Like you’re holding it together by instinct instead of ease.” Her fingers barely brushed Melody’s arm, just enough to ground the moment with feigned concern. “I’ve seen that look before. Usually right before you decide the whole thing isn’t worth the toll.” She let the thought hang in the air for a beat, casual, gentle. “If it gets too heavy out there… you don’t have to carry it all. Not every time.” A small smile followed, the kind meant to reassure but that somehow felt heavier than comfort. “I’ll hang back for a bit, just in case. You know where to find me.” Then, with quiet familiarity, she stepped toward the shadowed edge of the backstage hallway—not in the way, but not quite gone either.

Melody was just about to make her leave from the breakroom, but when Alyssa stopped her, and especially brushed her arm with her hand, Melody stopped. What...? Why was Alyssa saying all of this? Especially what felt like discouragement. "Lyssa... what are you talking about?" Melody asked. "You've never said anything like this before." But it's when Alyssa's next words came through that Melody's nerves eased. "Ohhhh," Melody replied. "I get what you mean. I'll be fine, I promise. I love you," Melody said, before she gave Alyssa a quick hug and then raced to her dressing room to get some water.

And no sooner did the moment come for the stage manager to check in with all of her operators. "Checking in. Who do I have? Light board? Thank you. Sound board? Thank you. How about my Spot 1 and Spot 2? Hi, thank you! Deck? Thank you. Fly? Thank you. House? We've got some stragglers, alright, thank you. How about you, maestro?"

The maestro himself was now at this point with the remainder of the pit orchestra, and he put on his headset to communicate back to May. "All set, May. Let's do this," Odin replied.

May spoke over her headset... "I like your attitude, Odin. Have a great show!" She replied cheerfully. "Alrighty, operators, if we are all ready, I will call places now. Are we ready for places? Great." May paged the backstage area. "Alrighty, folks. This is your places call. Places for the top of act one, places, please. Places. Thank you!"

That voice that rang over the intercom got Melody's attention. She looked up toward the speaker in her dressing room, and put on some final touches to her makeup. Double checking her contact lenses, Melody blinked a few times before she swigged down some water and rushed out of her dressing room to stage right. Melody did a few hops up and down in place, shaking her legs and arms to get any last minute jitters out. This was it. Well, not quite it -- this was just the first preview. But she had a feeling the press would be here, so this had to work.

May spoke into her headset. "Alright, we are set at places. Have a great show, everyone! Standby house to half." As the audience was now fully seated and waiting for the show to begin, May did a final check of her prompt book, and then spoke again into her headset. "House to half... go." The auditorium lights dimmed to half their normal brightness, and the audience chatter dissipated into silence. "Standby sound 1. Sound 1... go. Standby house out and Lights 1." A pre-recorded announcement played over the loudspeakers: "Welcome to the Anchor Theater aboard the Federation Destinations Ship, Vulcan Sun! As a courtesy to the rest of the audience and the cast, please silence any noise-producing electronic devices now. Also, under Federation Copyright Law, all unauthorized recording of the performance is strictly prohibited. Your safety is important to us; in the event of an emergency, follow all instructions given by our theater staff and use the emergency exit closest to you. This performance features bright, flashing lights, stroboscopic sequences, loud sounds, and strong thematic material. Thank you for your cooperation; please enjoy the performance!" "House out and Lights 1, go." The auditorium lights and the stage lights simultaneously faded to black... (edited)

Melody stood anxiously on stage right. With a breath, She took in a deep breath, and when she let it out, her normal, bubbly personality faded away for now, and instead in its place was her sinister, scheming, plotting alter ego... the Siren. And soon, her anxiety was replaced with a determination as she assumed her character...

May also had to take a breath. This was actually happening - the universal premiere of a new musical. No pressure. May pressed the warning light to cue Odin to begin conducting the orchestra...

Odin had the orchestra already cued up, his baton raised in the air... and as soon as the light went off, Odin waved his baton into motion, and cued the orchestra to play only the quietest ambient note behind Melody...

In the blackout, Melody strutted to center stage and faced away from the audience as Dylan directed her. Then, she took a breath, and when she let it out, her voice resonated with a spine-chillingly beautiful soprano note which rang through the theater...

"Ahhhhhhhh..."

it was the Siren's call... the sound booth added effects to her voice; reverb, delay, slight modulation... and she kept the note resonating consistently...

"Standby to Lights 2 and Sound 2. Lights... Go. Sound, go." May said into her headset. (edited)

The maestro himself waited for the single spotlight to shine on Melody... before he waved his baton, faster this time, to progress the score along, a score with an eerie undertone, Danny-Elfman-like...

Melody's voice continued to ring out as the spotlight gleamed to life, casting a beam onto her, and with that, Melody's beautiful soprano note devolved into a menacing cackle. "Ahhhhhhhhh-ah-hahahahahaha!" Melody slunk to turn her body around so that she faced the audience now. The audio distortions, the reverb, the modulations, amplified and twisted her menacing laugh into something far more sinister-sounding... "What? Surely, you know the old tale about sirens... don't you?" When Melody spoke in character, it was as if she wasn't even the same person. Her voice sounded so mature, so suave, so calculated and cunning. But it was when Melody began to sing that she unleashed her ferocious display.

"I'm nothing if I'm not at least sincere When I boast about my magnetic voice. But those who hear my name, they are gripped in fear, And those who dare approach, they have no choice... Collateral damage from the fight between Gods, My existence was never meant to be... But accidents happen, and the tables have turned! For you'll never escape from meeeeeeeee!"

May spoke into her headset as she watched Melody sing. "Standby lights 3 and Sound 3... Lights, go. Sound, go."

BAM! CRASH! The lightning flashed, and well, that's another story, never mind. Anyway, the lights flashed, accompanied with a strong thunderclap, and both downstage center and Melody were both engulfed in a sickening aquamarine light.

"Resist the allure? Now you've got some gall. Your efforts are spared when you answer my call. Why fight with fire when you can fight with a song? Trust that, in time, you'll be right where you belong."

Melody began to roam the stage, or at least, what she had available to her since the curtain behind her was closed. But the way she moved undermined everything one thought they knew about Melody... she really was The Siren now.

"They call me a menace, a nuisance; For their losses, they award me the blame They don't understand their persecutions They haven't lived my life, they would do the same! Imagine your life devoid of beauty. An ogress, cursed with ugliness so foul! If given opportunities, you'd bring the sailors to their knees, And soon your voice becomes your HOWL!"

Odin had a massive smile on his face as he conducted; the beautiful blend of the orchestra with Melody's singing voice was the perfect mix for this show, and he kept on going!

Melody's singing voice switched from simply calm and nuanced, to full-on belting powerhouse.

"Like wolves in a pack, no effort's too small. It's in your best interest to answer my call. Alone, you are weak; with me you are strong! Trust that, in time, you'll be right where you belong. For life is a mere game chance For power, for wealth, or romance So when will it be the day When things will go, finally, my waaaaaaaay?"

Melody made her return to downstage center, where she stomped the stage.

"And here I remain, and here I stand tall, For my life depends on when yours will fall! So fight or give in, you've no power at all, Your death I will tender! For there's no defender Yes, you will surrender! And answerrrrrr myyyyyyy..."

A beat in the music for Melody to take a breath... the big finish!!

"CALLLLLLLLLLLL!!"

Odin let the fermata ring out with the orchestra with Melody's big finish... and once he was ready, he swung his baton to quiet the orchestra in a grand musical theatre button ending! He held his breath, anticipating the audience's reaction... (edited)

The theatre held its breath. Then — applause. It began with measured clapping, steady and respectful. A few audience members exchanged glances — impressed, surprised, quietly moved. Further back, a pair of Vulcans sat with their hands folded. One offered the faintest incline of the head — a subtle, silent commendation.A Tellarite playwright muttered under his breath in the VIP Box, *“I don’t like musicals.”But even he clapped.* The applause didn’t swell to a frenzy — but it lingered.Longer than expected for an opening number.More reverent than rowdy. A quiet recognition passed through the room — a shared awareness that something rare had just begun. The Siren had sung — and the galaxy listened.

The applause went on for much longer than Odin had anticipated! And from that, he let out a sigh of relief. Everyone was going to be okay... thank the elements. He cued up the orchestra again to move onto the next number.

May also let out a sigh of relief, but made sure to do so while she turned her headset off briefly. This was going to work!! She turned her headset back on. "Standby Lights 4 and Fly 1. Lights, go." Once the applause was over... "Fly, go."

Melody held her ending pose until Odin struck the orchestra back up, at which point she sprung back into life, and then slunk offstage in character...

...while May watched as a massive cyclorama was revealed from the main curtain lifting off the stage. On it, was the show's title in massive typeface: "WITH LOVE FROM THE SIREN." May cued up the next autofly on the green light. "Fly 2 on the green, lights 5, go." And she switched off the green light.

The next number was considerably different in tone and energy than the first; a brilliant, marching number to introduce the Starfleet vessel in the show's diegesis.

Meanwhile, Melody, who had made it through the wings without breaking character, now broke character; her smile was MASSIVE as she looked upon anyone else who was in the area. "Omigosh omigosh omigosh!!" Melody whispered, careful not to disturb the action onstage even though the backstage area was soundproofed. "The audience loves it so far!!! What was I worried about??"

She stepped closer just as Melody finished her whispered celebration, her eyes soft but her smile tight — like she was proud, but something else sat beneath the surface. “You were great,” Alyssa said quietly. “Really.” A beat. Then, softer, careful, concerned. "But… are you sure you’re not overextending your voice? That last note — it was powerful, yeah, but it sounded a little strained.” She reached out, brushing Melody’s arm again — that same grounding gesture as before. Familiar. Comforting. Meant to disarm. As she spoke, Alyssa’s hand slid lower, under the guise of adjusting the back of Melody’s costume. Her fingers grazed the mic cable hub clipped to Melody’s waistband. She let them rest there. “Just… don’t burn too hot too fast, okay?” She murmured. “This is only a preview. You've got a whole run to survive.” Her voice was calm, soothing, but the words landed like quiet jabs. Then, after a pause: “I mean… maybe it doesn’t have to be the whole run. We could always leave after opening, or even before. Slip away. Go somewhere quiet. Together.” She leaned in close — her breath warm against Melody’s skin — and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. At the exact moment, her fingers quietly unplugged the primary mic connection. It was smooth. Deliberate. Practiced. She pulled back with a gentle smile. “Just think about it,” Alyssa whispered. “You don’t have to keep proving anything. Not to them.” And then she slipped back into the shadows, like nothing had happened at all.

Melody went over to Alyssa; her face beamed with excitement, and she practically dove towards her girlfriend in pride. "Hehehehe, thanks Lyssa!!! I'm so proud of myse--" That's when Alyssa began to show doubt. What...? On the first preview? The one where it mattered the most? "Alyssa!" Melody replied. Her face showed that she was not happy with her girlfriend right now. "What the fuck are you on about? You've never said anything like this to me, not even during tech. I know what I'm doing. I promise you, I'm fine--" And that's when Alyssa had her hand adjust the back of Melody's costume. Caught in that tender moment, Melody was captivated by just how gentle her girlfriend was being to her. Physically, not emotionally. "Alyssa... I signed a contract, I am here for the whole run, I don't--" And when Alyssa added in about going away and leaving to go somewhere quiet, Melody's body froze. She was in utter shock of what she just heard from Alyssa. Something was definitely not right here. Why now, on one of the most important shows of her life? The kiss at the corner of her mouth disarmed Melody though, as her eyes closed instinctively. Melody was none the wiser that Alyssa unplugged her mic pack. Oblivious to the act, Melody's focus remained on Alyssa. "A-Alyssa--!" And then she watched as Alyssa slunk away back into the shadows. "Fuckin'... what?!" Melody was definitely hurt... and she didn't really know what to say. Instead, headed off towards her dressing room. Maybe she just needed some water. The TV inside the room broadcast the live feed of the show, so Melody knew when she had to go back onstage. But for now, she sat and breathed, trying to regain her composure...

Alyssa smiled softly, seeing how her words echoed. As once Melody was gone, she moved down the quiet backstage hallway, her steps soft, measured. She glanced over her shoulder once, then again — not paranoid, just… checking. The energy from earlier was gone now. Her face was unreadable. She reached the utility closet, paused just long enough to listen, and slipped inside without a sound, as it clicked to lock and then... A minute passed. Maybe less, and the door opened.

Dylan peeked his head out from the utility closet, eyes scanning the hallway with practiced ease. Satisfied, he stepped out and moved toward Melody’s dressing room.He didn’t knock. He slipped in like he belonged there — quiet, composed, and already mid-thought, as if continuing a conversation only he remembered. “Hey,” he said softly. “Didn’t mean to interrupt your recharge time.” His gaze swept the room, not in curiosity, but like he was checking for variables. When his eyes landed on Melody, they stayed. A little too fixed. A little too gentle."You crushed it out there. No surprise.” He paused, then tilted his head with a faint frown. Concern. Or the appearance of it.“But when you came offstage… I don’t know. Something in your face — you looked like you’d just barely held yourself together.” He stepped closer, hands loosely folded in front of him, nonthreatening by design.“I’ve seen that before. That mask. Performers who know exactly how to give the audience everything… and leave nothing for themselves.” Dylan lowered his voice, like they were sharing something secret.“You don’t have to be a martyr for this show, Mel. Everyone talks about the contract, the press, the run — but no one talks about you. Not really.” He sat on the edge of the vanity, watching her with a soft, measured intensity.“You know you’re allowed to say when it’s too much, right? Not even forever — just… walk away before it eats you.”He let it sit, giving her space to speak — but he was framing the silence. Shaping it. And then, gently:"I’m not telling you to quit. I’m telling you that staying for the wrong reasons… won’t make you strong. It’ll just make you hollow.”He smiled faintly. Warm. Steady. A perfect facsimile of care.“But it’s your call. Always has been.”

Melody was sitting there, with her head in her hands, placed against her temples. This was already beginning to eat away at her, the fact that her own girlfriend was speaking against her. But Dylan coming in now? Maybe that would change things. Melody looked up to him. "Hey, Dylan," Melody replied. "Yeah, I... I want to get this right. This means so much to me. Being able to go out there again. I---" Just then... Dylan had words that were just like Alyssa's, in a way. Cautioning. Concerning. "Wha... what?" Melody asked, this time, much less accusatory. If Alyssa wasn't the only one who thought this... then it wasn't an Alyssa problem. It was a Melody problem. "N-no, I... I guess I don't have to be a martyr," Melody said to Dylan. "It's a team effort, right? Everyone has parts to play, really..." Melody looked to him, and with a determined look in her eye, she responded. "I'll make it through the run, at least," Melody said. "Broadway may be a different story, if..." As she let Dylan's and Alyssa's words sink in. "...if they even want me."

He nodded slowly, like he was proud of her, not just for what she’d done onstage, but for being honest with herself.“There it is,” he said softly. “You’re carrying so much, Mel. Too much. And still doing it all with a smile. No one sees that part. But I do.” He leaned in slightly, elbows on his knees, voice low and intimate.“Whatever happens after tonight — press or no press, raves or silence — you already did what most people never get the chance to. You came back. You stood center stage and made them listen. That’s enough. It really is.” He let the words settle. Gentle, deliberate.“If you decide Broadway’s not worth it… or that you’ve already given enough?” He offered a quiet, almost mournful smile. “That’s not weakness. That’s a strength. You don’t owe anyone more than what you’ve already given — not the critics, not the contract… not even your castmates.”His eyes held hers, carefully. Kind.“You don’t have to let this machine chew you up to prove your worth. Not to them. Not to anyone.” He reached, just slightly — as if to take her hand — but paused. Thought better of it. The gesture hung there between them, unspoken.“Whatever you choose,” he murmured, “I’ll back you.” And then — a moment too long. His gaze didn’t break. Something twitched. His jaw flexed oddly, just once. His left eye blinked slowly, from the corner to the center. Wrong.Gone in a heartbeat. Dylan exhaled and adjusted his jacket with practiced ease. But when he spoke again, his voice caught, like it had to find its footing.“And look,” he said, tone gentle, almost coaxing. *“The curtain’s not even up on Act Two yet.”A pause.“You still have time, Melody. You always have choices.” *He smiled again — warm, patient, deeply understanding.But just behind his eyes, for the briefest of moments…the mask slipped.

Melody, however, was staring out into nothingness, not really focusing her eyes on anything, her mind so focused on what Dylan said. It was all making sense. Dylan was looking out for her -- if he was an experienced director as he seemed, Melody had to listen to him. "Uh-huh..." Melody responded simply. Melody's eyes happened to look back up at Dylan right after his jaw flexed oddly, and his left eye blinked incorrectly. She didn't notice -- she wasn't the wiser. All she gave him in response was a nod, not able to really find the words to respond. Melody's mind swirled with the possibilities -- or, rather, the lack thereof. It was just all stacking against her. The effort she put in, the way she was pushing herself. And Alyssa and Dylan both noticed.

"Standby Fly 5 on the blue," May said over her headset. "Lights 59, go. Sound 36, go." Then May hit the blue light switch, turning it off.

Spontaneously, Melody blinked and resurfaced mentally to what she was supposed to be doing. "FUCK!" Melody yelled. "I have an entrance! Gotta go, Dylan! Seeya!" Melody sprinted out, practically racing past Dylan to get backstage so she could make it with at least a minute to spare before her entrance onstage. "Phew... that was a close one."

When Dylan was finally alone, he moved quickly — his calm, measured demeanor shedding the moment the hallway cleared. He slipped back toward the utility closet, the door clicking shut behind him with practiced ease. The lock slid into place. Inside, the air seemed to tighten. A soft sound followed — organic, wet, unnatural. Limbs shortening. Skin folding. Muscles reforming beneath the surface. The illusion collapsed in silence.

Moments later, Alyssa stepped out. Her hair slightly tousled, face composed, expression unreadable. She didn’t hesitate. She made a beeline for the nearest tech access panel — the backup wire junction for the comm system. Her movements were efficient, confident. Familiar. She crouched low, fingers ghosting across the labeled channels as she yanked it, Just enough time before Act Two finally started.

Well, here it was. Act two. "Alright, everyone, we are back for Act two. Checking in. Who do I have? Light? Thank you. Sound? Thank you. Spot 1 and Spot 2? Thank you! Deck? Thank you. Fly? Thank you. House? Thank you. Odin?"

"Present," Odin replied over his headset. "The audience is a little antsy, by the way."

"Let's not keep them waiting then. Everyone ready? Wonderful. I will call places." May paged the rest of the backstage area. "Attention cast and crew, this is your places call. Places for the top of act two, places, please. Places. Thank you!"

Thankfully Melody was there before May called places. That gave her a moment to breathe. Melody did some last minute stretches for her arms, and rolled her neck around to loosen up her throat. She prepared herself mentally for the beginning of Act Two...

"Alright, everyone, have a great second act!" May said over her headset. "Standby house to half." May peeked over the edge of her desk, to double-check the audience was all set. Then... "House to half... go." The auditorium lights dimmed to half their normal brightness, and the audience chatter dissipated into silence. "Standby house out and Lights 191. Odin on the red." She switched the red light on for Odin. "House out and Lights 191... go." She switched off the red light.

Odin began conducting the orchestra in a beautiful entr'acte; recapitulations of previous songs, leitmotifs of the beautiful lines played and sung throughout the show festooned the music Odin conducted. He was nearing the end of the entr'acte...

"Lights 192 and Fly 6," May said into her headset, keeping along with the music. "Go."

As the curtain rose, Melody stayed back behind the wings. There was a section of dialogue and a bit of a musical interlude before she made her entrance. Melody took a deep breath in, and assumed her character, with her eyes scowling out towards the others in the scene. Melody slunk from the wings onto upstage right, where she countered the main action. Then, when Gila's actress began to sing, Melody progressed forward and stood beside her. Her singing part in this song wasn't as prominent, but when she sung... it didn't come through the speakers. Melody herself didn't notice, as she kept on going, and singing with Gila's actress.

"What the hell?!" May said. "Sound? I need an answer." After a moment, May received a message in her headset. "What do you mean, 'her signal's dead?'" Another moment of waiting. Then... "Fuckin' knew it. Could never trust those mic packs." May flipped her warning light to Odin, signaling him to stop conducting.

Odin already knew Melody's mic was having issues, so when May flipped the warning light on, he quieted the orchestra immediately. Something was wrong.

May paged the entire auditorium, backstage, house, and all.* "Distinguished guests," *May announced over the speakers. "We are experiencing a technical error. Please remain seated as we diagnose the issue, we're going to pause the performance and then return shortly. Thank you for your cooperation." May switched her headset back to the operators. "Lights out. House to full, go." The stage lights dimmed, and the house lights flickered back to life to illuminate the audience and the seats.

As directed in case of an error, Melody froze in her spot, as did the rest of the cast. When May said 'thank you for your cooperation,' Melody and the cast broke their freeze, and made haste to exit the stage. Melody waited backstage for further instruction.

"Deck," May called to the tech crew members backstage. "Please get Melody's mic pack fixed and running. You have five minutes."

Alyssa was already there when Melody stepped offstage — calm, composed, like she'd been waiting for this exact moment. She moved quietly through the chaos, offering a water bottle without a word. When Melody took it, Alyssa’s hand lingered. Not comforting. Anchoring. “You don’t have to go back out there.” She said it like a kindness. Like a lifeline. “You’ve already done more than enough. You proved you belong.” Her eyes flicked to the techs scrambling in the wings. “They’ll blame the mic, not you. No one will question it if you step back.” She leaned in, her voice low, not urgent, just certain. "You don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll stay and make sure no one pressures you.” A soft pause. “I don’t want to get in the way of your healing. Not again.” She stepped back, not angry — not pleading—just open. The kind of stillness that made it easy to leave without realizing you’d said yes.

Melody wasn't expecting Alyssa to be there so quickly, but then again, it was a showstop, so Alyssa would likely be there to check on her. Melody was all of a sudden back in her own head, and her emotions overwhelmed her. "No...Lyssa! I-I can't--" Melody said, nearly breaking into tears. But the words Alyssa used. 'I don’t want to get in the way of your healing. Not again.' That. That sounded like Alyssa. That was definitely something she'd say. Maybe she had Melody's best intentions at heart since the beginning. "Wha... you're right. The audience can't see me like this. I can't bear to have them see me like this." As she looked up to Alyssa, and said, definitively. "Alright. I'm taking my leave. Leah can fill in for me." (edited)

Alyssa could almost scream at how well this was going — but she didn’t. She kept her expression soft, controlled, the perfect image of quiet support. She met Melody’s eyes with just enough emotion to seem present, but not overwhelmed. “I’ll go tell her for you,” She said gently, brushing a hand across Melody’s shoulder — just enough to anchor the moment. “You go ahead to our room.” Her voice was warm. Steady. Assured. And inside, beneath the skin, something uncoiled. This was going perfectly.

As tears filled the baker's eyes, she could only nod and leave through a side exit backstage. This was the worst case scenario. At least the show would go on. At least Leah would be able to understudy. Melody had nothing left to give. She was so drained now. She didn't even get out of costume. As she went through the side door and closed it behind her, Melody could only move as fast as what could be considered a snail's pace. Obviously, she walked faster than a snail could move. But she took her time. All of a sudden... THUD!!! BAM!!! "GAH!" Melody jumped. "What the fuck?" Where was that noise coming from? Melody looked around for the source of the noise. Nothing for a moment. Then... THUD! THUD! There it was again! With a heightened pace, Melody rushed towards the source of the noise. It was a sort of... closet? Yes! Melody had to yank a few times to open the door to the closet...

And there was Alyssa—bloodied, one eye nearly swollen shut, but still conscious and fighting. Whoever had knocked her out hadn’t done a thorough job, and the rope was already coming loose. The door looked like it had been jerry-rigged in a panic, sloppy and half-broken.

Melody's eyes POPPED open at seeing her girlfriend like this! She was relieved that Alyssa was conscious, but she was devastated to see Alyssa in this condition. "Alyssa?!" Melody exclaimed, before she practically dove for her girlfriend, and attempted to untie the rope. "Baby?! Are you okay?! What happened to you?! Who did this to you?!" Melody spat out questions at rapid fire speed. Her heart beat so fast...

"Oh, thank fuck," Alyssa let out a sigh of relief. She let out a cough, which wheezed audibly. Her one non-swollen eye watched as Melody came in and untied the rope. In a moment, she was free. "Better late than never, I always say," Alyssa muttered. "Listen to me. You can't trust Dylan. He brought me in here, and the next thing I know, he clobbers me. I woke up, could barely see out of one eye. We need to get out of here before he hurts you or anyone else."

Melody's eyes darted to and fro as she tried to take in everything Alyssa was saying. She tried to get a word in, but she couldn't until Alyssa stopped. "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait, then why were you backstage with me, telling me to leave the show?" Melody asked. "You were with me the whole time."

Alyssa's eye widened as she looked at Melody in confusion. "What?!" Alyssa replied. "What are you talking about? It was the half-hour call when Dylan brought me aside. I've been here since."

Melody was about to speak again, but when Alyssa mentioned she was there since the half-hour call, Melody stopped. Her body froze, as things finally fell into place. "If you were here the whole time... then I must have talked with..." (edited)

"...someone else," Alyssa filled in the blank. Was it a Undine?! A changeling?! Her mind reeled with possibilities of what could have happened. Then, she stuck to absolutes. "Whoever that was, it wasn't me. If what you're telling me is the truth, then someone impersonated me and tried to get you to leave the show."

Melody's mind wrapped around what Alyssa was telling her... and in time, things all started to make sense. "Wait... If I'm here... and that impostor tried to get me to leave the show, then who's...?" As she looked back towards the side exit. "....oh no....ohhhhhh no..." Melody reached her hand to Alyssa. "Come on, girlie. It's time to expose this poser."

Alyssa reached her hand back up to Melody, and she used her strength to stand back up, using Melody's arm as leverage. "Thanks," Alyssa said. "I hope you know, I would *never, ever* discourage you from a show like this. It's HUGE for you. But you're right. Let's catch this poser."

Melody brought Alyssa with her, back through the side door, and into the backstage area. "Quickly now, before the impostor gets a chance to hurt anyone else!" She said, dashing out to the wings as quickly as she could. She wanted to get a view of the stage before she did anything else. Was the impostor onstage?

The impostor had moved as fast as the production would allow—already on stage, already wearing Melody’s face. But the tech hadn’t caught up yet. The eyes gave it away. In their rush to blend in, they’d morphed the wrong pair—Sirens’ eyes, not Melody’s. Not the classic siren look. Not the real Melody. Not that anyone would notice… or bother to check. (edited)

Melody looked out from the wings. "That's--- that's me..." Melody said aloud. "That's not Leah... Leah's playing Gila... And she's right there..." As Melody finally saw that someone was impersonating her directly, she decided to put a stop to it. Melody stormed out onstage, and without a microphone in hand, yelled at the top of her lungs. "HOLD IT! STOP THE SHOW!" As loud as she could, to May and Odin.

May was about to call another cue. "Lights--- what the?!" As she looked upon the stage, and saw two Melodys. Two?! "How the?!" May immediately turned the warning light on to cue Odin to stop.

Odin had felt a little off with Melody conducting her. She seemed a bit out of time, slightly--- wait, there were two?! Odin quieted the orchestra immediately, unsure of what was going on.

May turned her headset to page the entire theater, auditorium and all. "Distinguished guests, it appears we've run into another error, we're going to pause the performance here and resume in a few--"

"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Melody called back up, pointing right at May. "No no no no no no no no! You're not going to do anything, and everyone is going to sit right where they are!" (edited)

"Melody--?! Or the... Twin?" Odin whispered. "What are you doing?!"

"Ohhhh, I know exactly what I'm doing, Odin," Melody replied. Her voice was saturated with fury and disgust. "I know that I am Melody Marshall, and I know that whoever this person is..." As she pointed to the impostor. "They're a fraud. They gaslit me into leaving the show during the mic pack incident." Then, Melody raced offstage to grab Alyssa, and dragged Alyssa onto the stage. "And they assaulted and kidnapped my girlfriend!"

May's eyes widened as she looked upon this scene unfolding. In all her years of stage managing, this never happened before. "House, call for security," May spoke into her headset. "If this Melody is telling the truth, we need to be ready." (edited)

Alyssa, nearly falling over from being pulled onstage, took a moment to breathe, and nodded in agreement with the real Melody, so that the audience could see her confirmation of it.

Cruise Security had been called, but before they could arrive, a few ushers and the house manager were rushing down the aisle..All around them, the crowd had begun to murmur—low, confused voices rippling through the room as people shifted in their seats, visibly unsettled by the unfolding scene. (edited)

"Oh, but it gets even worse," Melody continued. "Not only did this POSER impersonate my girlfriend, and convince me to leave the show... She KISSED me!" By the tone of her voice, she had never felt angrier in her entire life. "All to keep up the illusion that it was my actual girlfriend. You know... I even bet..." She looked out into the audience. "Where's Dylan? Dylan!" She called out into the audience, assuming Dylan was there. "Were you backstage at all during the show?" (edited)

Dylan had been moving with the group, the rising commotion having pulled him from his seat like a current. He shook his head, exasperated, and shouted over the growing noise, *“What? No—I gave you the pep talk and went to my seat! I’ve been in my seat the whole time!” He pointed toward the now-empty spot where he'd been sitting, as if it could somehow defend him. His voice cracked with disbelief, caught between confusion and betrayal.*

The crowd, once restless with confusion, had gone suddenly quiet—then came the sharp, collective gasp as someone in the back repeated the words: “She kissed Melody.” That was all it took. Murmurs swelled into a wave of voices, astonished and gleeful, like an audience caught in a scandalous twist. People leaned forward in their seats, no longer uneasy but completely captivated, as if the theater had transformed into a live drama unfolding before their eyes.

*She stood frozen, caught mid-motion like a paused hologram. Her breath hitched, the room spinning faintly as realization set in. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She hadn’t planned for Alyssa to be found—not like this—and certainly not so soon. Her eyes darted toward the wings, looking for escape, or maybe just something solid to anchor herself. The heat of hundreds of eyes pressed against her like a stage light, too bright, too sudden. There was no hiding now. *

Alyssa darted over towards the impostor, blocking the way to the wings. "Oh no you don't," Alyssa said aloud.

"And how should we know it's the real you, and that you're not the impostor yourself?" Odin asked, rather accusingly.

"Oh--- well, I'm glad you asked, Odin," Melody replied matter-of-factly. "Alyssa. What color are that Siren's eyes?"

The redhead turned to look into the impostor's eyes. She tried to look in the blinding light from the stage lights. "Take off the contact lenses. Now," Alyssa ordered the impostor.

They shifted, pretending to take them off—fingers brushing near their face like they were removing the lenses. But then they lunged, aiming to tackle Alyssa directly, like they actually thought they could take her head-on, well, maybe they could catch her off guard a second time, not knowing too much about Alyssa.

But Alyssa was quick on the draw to be able to anticipate. As the impostor lunged at her, Alyssa was quick to block her attack, and then kneed the impostor's legs to cause them to buckle. This could give her a moment to grab the impostor's hands and restrain her. "By the authority of the United Federation of Planets, you're under arrest for perjury, identity theft, harassment, assault, and likely many more crimes I don't even know off the top of my head," Alyssa declared.

"Alyssa..." Melody said softly. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, shall we?" Her voice was rather soft. She leaned down towards Odin, and removed one of her contact lenses. "Alyssa... What color are my eyes?"

"Blue," Alyssa replied without even giving it a second thought. "Sort of a periwinkle blue, almost." As she kept her focus on the impostor, to ensure they didn't morph or change shape while she wasn't looking.

"Odin," Melody said. "What color do you see in my eyes?"

Odin took a close look, and peered into Melody's eyes. "Yeah, those are blue eyes if I've ever seen them. You're the real Melody."

The baker then moved over to the impostor. "Why?" Melody asked. "You'll get your time in prison. But why? Why go all this way, why do all this? What are you hoping to gain? Huh?! Why was it worth it to assault a Starfleet officer in cold blood, as well as our director, and sabotage the show, trying to get me to leave? Huh?!"

The imposter, pinned down, stared up with clear green eyes. They bit their lip before speaking, voice trembling with frustration. *"This was my big break. I worked so hard for this moment—and for what? Not even a study role for the Siren. Just... a nameless part.I truly earned it"

By now, cruise ship security had arrived, accompanied by ship officials. The exits were covered—there was no chance the imposter was getting away.

"Earned it?" Melody spoke with a fury that rattled through her voice. "You think you could actually earn it by kidnapping and assaulting a Starfleet officer, impersonating her and the director, gaslighting and kissing me into leaving, and taking the role by force?! No amount of training, no past shows, NO agents and NO equity contracts can justify that. NOTHING can. And you've gone and done all that. Well, since you think you've done so much to get here, we're gonna play a little game, how about that?" Melody took a step back from the impostor, and looked up to Alyssa. "Alyssa," Melody said. "Please let her go."

Alyssa looked around, noticing just how many security guards there were now. She safely let go of the impostor, and looked to Melody. "What are you doing, Mels?"

Melody pointed to the impostor, then to the audience. "There," Melody said. "You think you've worked soooo hard to get to this point, that all you could do was steal the role from me? You want an audience to be the Siren in front of? There. There's your audience." As she pointed, her voice shook with an unseen rage. "Sing. Right now, sing Answer My Call. Right fucking now. You want your big break? Go ahead. Take your big break. Right now, sing." If the impostor hesitated, Melody had a response locked and loaded. "DO IT!!!"

They flinched as the spotlight bore down on them, the weight of a thousand eyes pressing in from every angle. Their gaze swept across the crowd—confused faces, expectant silence, the hum of tension just beneath the surface. Their lips parted as if to sing, muscle memory kicking in… but their voice caught in their throat. They flinched again. A flicker of doubt crossed their face. This was supposed to be their moment—years of work, sacrifice, dreaming in shadows—but now, surrounded by security and scrutiny, it all felt like a cruel joke. Still, they took a shaky breath, forcing themselves upright, throat tight with unshed emotion. Then, they tried again—moved to sing, as they flinched a third time.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Melody showcased how the song was supposed to start, the high B5 which Odin knew her for. It looked effortless, really. But as she sang in response, Melody's face contorted in anger. As she finished her vocalization, Melody took a breath. "And that's called putting in the work."

She had to legit cover her mouth in noticing just how well Melody was handling this impostor. With the roast that Melody gave to the impostor, the impostor was cooked more than a rotisserie chicken!

And with that, security moved in. The imposter barely had time to draw another breath before firm hands seized her arms. They struggled for a moment—more out of instinct than hope—but it was over. The dream, the stage, the spotlight—all slipping away as she was dragged off, heels scraping against the floor, green eyes wide with a mix of defiance and despair. The crowd watched in stunned silence as the illusion unraveled right before them.

Melody turned back to the audience as she took a breath and looked out to the seats. "Now are we all set to continue the show? Everyone else gonna play nice here or do we have any other shapeshifting impostors in the audience that my girlfriend can throw hands at?" (edited)

She cracked her knuckles as a sort of warning to the audience, should anyone have the audacity to step out of line like this impostor did.

Dylan stood frozen in place, struggling to process what had just unfolded. Of all nights, a stunt like this—on preview night? It was unthinkable.

The crowd laughed at Melody’s words, the tension breaking just enough for nervous chuckles to ripple through the auditorium. Even the crew joined in, though some kept glancing around, half-expecting another imposter to leap from the shadows, but none did.

Melody looked up to May. "I expect full security for every show from now on, May," Melody said. "I am not fuckin' playing around anymore. Now let's give the show the audience expected back to them, shall we?"

Alyssa -- the real one -- moved over to give her girlfriend a quick peck on the lips. "Go get em, tiger," she said, before she made her leave from the stage, and watched from the wings, noticeably in view -- not in the shadows.

May patched into the speakers for the auditorium. "Distinguished guests, we apologize for this, we will be offering complimentary vouchers for merchandise and refreshments to all guests in attendance today. Thank you for your cooperation and patience. We'll work to ensure this doesn't happen again. And now, we return to: With Love, From the Siren." She turned off the page to the speakers. "Alright, everyone. House out, go. Standby lights 350, sound 91, autofly 24 on the blue. Lights, go, sound, go." As she switched off the blue light, the show was back up!

Melody took her rightful place on the stage again... And continued the show, as normal!

And with that, the crowd took a few moments to settle down, murmurs giving way to soft laughter and the quiet rustle of programs. The tension that had gripped the auditorium slowly ebbed, replaced by the comforting rhythm of routine. House lights dimmed, cues resumed, and the illusion of the stage reasserted itself. Then Melody stepped forward—and absolutely killed it. Whatever chaos had come before was forgotten the moment she opened her mouth. She sang her heart out, pouring every ounce of emotion into the performance. By the final number, the audience was on their feet, swept up in a raving ovation. Against all odds, the show didn’t just survive—it soared.