Karaoke Night

Posted on Wed Oct 20th, 2021 @ 4:06am by Lieutenant JG Konata Hiiragi & Captain Calypso Skyie & Lieutenant Mark Valleroy & Lieutenant Syrial J'naii & Lieutenant JG Faith Vianelli & Captain Natalya Markova & Ensign Rene Rouen & Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade & Ensign Minerva Delacroix & Master Chief Petty Officer Samuel Ross & Gunnery Sergeant Reishi Hijani & Sergeant Leland Imlay & Anara Joval
Edited on on Mon Nov 22nd, 2021 @ 4:25am

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Hydra Lounge
Timeline: Two Days Prior To Arrival At Starbase 614

IC-

Anara walked around the Hydra Lounge and finally gave a slow nod to her head. She had decided to have a Karaoke Contest for her first themed event as the new manager. Despite the little more than skeleton crew the ship had, she was expecting the room to be packed to the limits. She had two people at the bar, plus another three working the tables. First prize was a 25 year old bottle of Romulan Ale.

Calypso glanced around, hopped up onto her feet and waved as she made her way up to the stage. True to the informal nature of lounge and the announcement she'd made that anyone in uniform would be turned away at the door, she'd worn a black t-shirt with the words I, a red outline of the famous monster Godzilla, and then the word Tokyo on it, paired with black tights. She raised her hands at the sarcastic applause with a smile, "Thank you all for coming, it's actually good to know that some people aren't afraid of hearing people who don't know how to sing on this, the first official Karaoke Night at the Hydra!"

There was some laughter at that, "First, I want to thank Anara for being willing to host it, perhaps we can prevail upon her to host other events occasionally?"

Anara simply nodded with a warm smile that could light up the room.

Cally chuckled and nodded, "Second, I've got a tradition that I've done every time I've been reassigned to a new ship, or whenever the ship I'm on has left for a major mission. Unfortunately, it's a duet and my normal partner isn't here, so I've asked the lovely Jenna to stand in." She made a gesture to the younger woman who leaned over to accept a kiss on the cheek from Rene before she made her way up to join Calypso, taking two microphones from Anara on her way. Instead of rather casual clothes, she was wearing a dress that accentuated her shape in a sapphire blue and handed one of the microphones to the older woman. She made a signal to Anara and the music began.

Cally stepped up first and began to sing in her cool, sweet soprano, "Take the wave now and know that you're free, Turn your back on the land face the sea, Face the wind now so wild and so strong, When you think of me, Wave to me and send me a song."

Jenna was a bit more nervous as she also stepped up, but closed her eyes to shut everyone else out, "Don't look back when you reach the new shore, Don't forget what you're leaving me for, Don't forget when you're missing me so, Love must never hold, Never hold tight but let go.

Cally again, "Oh the nights will be long, When I'm not in your arms, But I'll be in your song, That you sing to me, across the sea. Somehow, someday.."

Jenna again, "You will be far away, So far from me and maybe one day, I will follow you, And all you do, 'Til then, send me a song."

Cally, "When the sun sets the water on fire, When the wind swells the sails ever higher, Let the call of the bird on the wind,
Calm your sadness and loneliness, And then start to sing to me, I will sing to you, If you promise to send me a song."

Jenna, I walk by the shore and I hear, Hear your song come so faint, And so clear, And I catch it, a breath on the wind,
And I smile and I sing you a song, I will send you a song..."

Then the two of them ended together, in unison, "If you promise to send me a song.." And they trailed off.

Cally smiled over at Jenna and smiled, "Thanks Jenna." She then stepped up to the very front of the stage, "I hope we're getting to know each other on this lovely trip that we're on, and tonight we should get to know one another a bit better." A wicked smile crossed her face as she glanced around, "All right, who should I have come up next?" They finally found an intended victim, sending a brief mental poke at her, "Konata Hiiragi, you're next!"

The assistant chief medical officer had been quietly tuning a guitar at a corner booth, and hadn't been expected to be called to the stage so soon. Regardless, she turned down the amp she had brought with her and lugged her full setup with her to the stage. Setting up on stage not for a Karaoke night, but rather an impromptu concert. After making sure her guitar was in tune, she stepped up to the mic:

"Thank you, Captain:" Konata said, channeling her inner Freddie Mercury. "Now, this next song holds a very near and dear place in my heart, as it's the song I danced to at my wedding. That's why I always sing it with my lovely wife of 15 years. However, she is not here; so we're going to make do with what we've got: It's a bit much for me to sing by myself, so feel free to join in if you know the words:"

Silence fell for a moment before Konata began to sing.

"Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality.
Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows,
Doesn't really matter to me:
To me."

Konata scanned the faces of the crew as the piano segment began to se their reactions before it was time to sing again:

"Mama,
Just killed a man.
Put a gun against his head,
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead
Mama,
Life had just begun
But now, I've gone and thrown it all away!
Mama, oooh;
Didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,
Carry on, carry on,
As if nothing really matters..."

In the back, the Marine Lieutenant and the Gunny were sitting and nursing their own drinks. Reiishi was there to keep Nat company, and she winced a few times during this song, not because of the singer, but the horrific harmonies from the crowd. She spoke quietly, for Nat's ears only, "Well, perhaps this wasn't the best idea to be here, ma'am. Could have listened to cats screaming anywhere else."

"And deny the Captain her moment of tradition?" Nat responded with a smile. "Besides, someone has to balance out the net enjoyment with some back-table participating-without-participating."

A brief pause, then into the second verse:

"Too late
My time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Bodies aching all the time.
Goodbye, everybody
I've got to go
Got to leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, oooh,
I don't want to die:
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all!"

Coming off the second verse, Konata began the guitar solo, the reason she had brought the damn thing along in the first place, she played the solo which she often stayed up at night practicing until it was time for the opera section.

"I see a little sihlouetto of a man,
Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango?

Thunderbolts and Lightning, very very frightening me
Galileo, Galileo
Galileo, Galileo
Galileo, Figaro - Magnifico! (Oh, oh, oh)

I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
(Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Let me go) (Never) Never let you go
(Let me go) (Never) Let you go (Let me go) Ah
No no no no no no no
Oh mama mia, mama mia,
Mama mia, let me go
Beezlebub has a devil put aside for me, for me
For meee!"

Back on guitar for "the headbang section:"

"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby,
Just got to get out, just gotta get right out of here!"

More guitarwork to finish the headbang section, leading to the outro:

"Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters...
Nothing really matters to me..."

Konata bowed as the song finished, as was Japanese custom.

"Any way the wind blows..." Konata trailed off.

[[ OOC: Link in case needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ ]]

"Thank you everybody! You've been a great audience!" She said. "Now, who should I pick next?" Konata's eyes scanned the audience before she found the next victim. "How about the Ensign whose life I saved? Rene Rouen; you're up next!"


Rene sighed but acquiesced to the rules of Karaoke Night. He patted Jenna's thigh as she sat on his lap. "You're coming with." He took the PADD on the table and with a moments thought picked a song before showing it to Jenna.

Jenna: "Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed"
Rene: "Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed"
Jenna: "Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need"
Rene: "I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed"
Jenna: "It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance"
Rene: "It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance"
Jenna: "It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give"
Rene: "And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live"
Rene and Jenna sang the last verse staring in one another's eyes: "When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose."

By the time the song ended, Jenna's face was red as as a rose itself and she placed a hand on Rene's chest before giving him a hug, "Your pick." She whispered.

Rene turned to the audience and picked the next singer with a evil grin. "Syrial J'naii, your turn to face the music."

Syrial laughed and stepped up to the stage. Now, the doctor had already managed to drink a fair amount before getting up here. Konata's song had touched them; they had considered, at first, singing one of their songs from their own wedding night. But all those songs were in J'naii, and what was Karaoke night if nobody knew the lyrics? So instead the doctor had spent the last whole song trying to come up with a human song that they actually knew all the words for.

"Here we go," the J'naii smiled, straightening their hawaiian shirt before grabbing the microphone.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star." Though it might have been hard to sing that song and make it sound good, Syrial pushed the limits on making it sound bad. They weren't a good singer even fully sober, and at the current moment their accent and the force needed to hold back some laughter did its best to butcher the song.

"How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so..." The doctor had to pause for a moment to laugh. They were obviously having fun here, despite it all. "World so high." They had to repeat that section to get back on track. "Like a diamond in the sky," And that was far as the J'naii could manage before bursting out in laughter at their own voice. The human words just sounded so weird! "I- I can't," they chuckled, wiping a joyful tear from their eye. "I, uh, I don't think I can finish it."

The doctor stepped down from the stage - very carefully, maybe too carefully - before looking around for somebody to hand the microphone off to. They had still yet to make real "friends" among the crew, so at this point they might as well just a flip a coin. They did recognize one of the marines, who had, at his appointment, brought up maybe having a drink later with the doctor. Seemed like a fine choice. "Leland!" Syrial raised their arms in greeting as if seeing an old friend for the first time in a while.

The tiny form threaded easily through the crowd unseen. Barely knee high, few saw her, even fewer paid attention to her in her footed onesie, binkie firmly in her mouth as she made her way forward. Having escaped from Nani while she was busy, she found herself exploring the ship. The sounds of singing and happiness drew her toward the lounge, the doors opening to grant her access. Maybe this was where Mamma was. Mamma loved singing. They sang together all the time. She had hidden initially, under a table in the back of the room, not far from the doors where she couldn't be seen, but when she realised that everyone was taking turns to sing, she crept out slowly, making her way forward toward the tall person with the microphone. Stepping up next to them, she reached up and tugged firmly on their clothing. A moment later she tugged again, harder, this time pointing up to the microphone, the binkie falling from her mouth, still attached to the strap pinned to her jammies. "My turn?"

Syrial chuckled at seeing the young human. The J'naii leaned down to be within better reach of the child. "Of course," the doctor handed the microphone over towards them with a smile. "Careful; it's heavy." It was not very heavy, but Syrial figured it worth the warning. "Sorry Leland," they yelled back towards the man. "I think we found a better singer here." That being said, the doctor would not stray too far from the child. They didn't know where their parents were, and if anything were to happen and the child hurt itself, it would probably fall on them anyway.

At the warning about the weight of the microphone Briella gave Syrial a withering look and reached out, wrapping both hands around it firmly, holding it close to her mouth before she looked at Syrial again. "You go now," she said simply before taking a deep breath and turning back toward the crowd before she started singing. "Witzy bizzy spider wan up the water pout." She fumbled with the microphone as she tried to make the hand gestures as she sang. "Came all the rain and washed Witzy out." She moved the microphone to one hand, the other hand simulating rain, just like Momma did. "Came sunshine and..." she drew another deep breath, missing a few words as she did. "Witzy bizzy spiiiiiiiiiiiiiider went up the pout again."

Syrial's face spread into a grin as the child sang, enthralled by the kid's sheer enthusiasm for the song. That one of the other few human songs that the J'naii knew.

When she finished, she gave a grin and a wave before picking up her binkie and putting it back in her mouth, turning toward Syrial and putting the microphone down on the ground next to her before taking a seat, just sitting and waiting.

"Hey little one, would you like to come sit with me?" Jenna had gone to one knee next to the little girl, a bright smile on her face, "Ah'd love to get to know such a wonderful singer, perhaps you can teach me how to be as good as you?"

Briella shook her head, binkie firmly still in her mouth, dark curls bobbing around her face. Finally she took the binkie out of her mouth. "No, tank you," she replied politely before replacing the binkie and going back to watching. She wanted to see more singing. She liked singing.

Syrial leaned down to pick up the microphone. "Wait," they said to the child. "You have to pick who sings next now."

Briella looked uncertainly toward Syrail before looking back to the rest of the crowd, her brow furrowing as she looked around. "Mamma?"

Faith had just made it into the lounge in time to see Briella pick up the microphone and demand attention. While part of her was proud, she was equally terrified having spent a solid twenty minutes trying to find her daughter. At the summons, she pushed her way through the crowd, apologising profusely as she went. Finally, scooping the toddler up, she cast an apologetic smile toward the rest of the crew. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "I'm so sorry, I'll get her back to bed. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Jenna giggled as she stood up next to Faith from where she'd been next to Brielle, "Ah'm sorry, ma'am, but your daughter just picked the next person to sing at tonight's karaoke party, and it just so happens to be you."

Faith looked around, eyes widening. "You can't be serious?" she murmured softly before sighing heavily and shifting Briella on her hip. "Do I really have to?" The microphone was thrust toward her again.

"Mamma? Sing me?" The small voice, pleading, was something Faith couldn't resist. "Alright, do you think maybe I could have a chair and the lights lowered a little?"

Within moments a chair had been placed for her. The lights were lowered, even the spotlight had been dimmed. Faith sat down, letting Briella snuggle in against her, head against her chest, one hand reaching for Faith's long hair, brushing it as she snuggled and smiled, clearly content to have her Mamma.

Faith rested a hand against Briella's head, feeling the soft curls beneath her fingers, smiling dreamily as she started to sing, her voice soft and haunting. She didn't have music, she didn't ask for music, it wasn't needed.

À la claire fontaine
M'en allant promener,
J'ai trouvé l'eau si belle
Que je m'y suis baignée.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

Sous les feuilles d'un chêne
Je me suis fait sécher,
Sur la plus haute branche,
Un rossignol chantait.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

Chante, rossignol, chante,
Toi qui as le cœur gai.
Tu as le cœur à rire,
Moi, je l'ai à pleurer.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

J'ai perdu mon ami
Sans l'avoir mérité,
Pour un bouquet de roses
Que je lui refusai.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

Je voudrais que la rose
Fût encore au rosier
Et que mon doux ami
Fût encore à m'aimer.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

[[ OOC: Link in case needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VctOj6Bm4Y ]]

By the time Faith finished, Briella was sound asleep, snuggled into her chest, one hand firmly wound in her hair while Nani stood close by ready to offer assistance. She stood up slowly, careful not to disturb the toddler as she moved. "Again, I'm sorry," she murmured softly before she started to move toward Nani.

"That was beautiful." Jenna said softly, so as not to wake up the sleeping girl, "Who should sing next? Again, part of the festivities of the evenin'."

"Please, just pick someone, go back to where you were before you were interrupted." Faith said softly. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt."

Minerva stepped up to the stage and took the microphone. "It's all good sweetie. You take care of your little one." She mounted the stage and waited for Faith to get the child out of the lounge. She glanced about the lounge and saw what appeared to be a number of single men in the audience, bringing a smile to her face.

Minerva tapped a song title into the monitor on stage and gripped the microphone as the music began. She stepped off stage to wander the crowd as she sang.

Hi I'm your Weather Girl and have I got news for you.
Get ready, all you lonely girls and leave those umbrellas at home.

Humidity is rising barometer's getting low.
According to all sources the street's the place to go.
Cause tonight for the first time, just about half-past ten, for the first time in history. It's gonna start raining men!

It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen!
I'm gonna go out to run and let myself get absolutely soaking wet!

It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Every specimen! Tall, blonde, dark and lean, rough and tough and strong and mean.

God bless Mother Nature, she's a single woman too. She took off to heaven and she did what she had to do. She taught every angel and rearranged the sky, so that each and every woman could find her perfect guy

It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen! It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen!

I feel stormy weather moving in. About to begin. Hear the thunder.
Don't you lose your head!
Rip off the roof and stay in bed.

It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen! It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Hallelujah!

Minerva ended her song as she dropped into the lap of Mark Valleroy. She put one arm around his shoulder as she handed him the microphone. "Your turn gorgeous." She gave the Chief Security Officer a smile and wink.

"Me, do karaoke?" Mark asked. "I was under the impression that we wanted people to stay here and enjoy themselves, not flee screaming in terror while covering their ears."

"You don't have to be good!" Jenna called out from next to Rene, "You just gotta do it!"

"Come on sir. I sat through four hours of Klingon opera once. Trust me. You can't be scarier than that." Rene looked as if he believed every word he was saying.

"Well, there is one song that comes to mind that might be...appropriate in a strange way," Mark said, getting up and checking the monitor. He found that the song was indeed there, and pulled it up. "This is dedicated to our esteemed CO," he said just before starting the song.

Seventy-three men sailed up
From the San Francisco Bay,
Rolled off of their ship
And here's what they had to say:
"We're callin' everyone to ride along
To another shore,
We can laugh our lives away
And be free once more."

But no one heard them callin',
No one came at all,
'Cause they were too busy watchin'
Those old raindrops fall.
As a storm was blowin'
Out on the peaceful sea,
Seventy-three men sailed off
To history.

Ride, captain, ride
Upon your mystery ship,
Be amazed at the friends
You have here on your trip.
Ride, captain, ride
Upon your mystery ship,
On your way to a world
That others might have missed.

Seventy-three men sailed up
From the San Francisco Bay,
Got off their ship
And here's what they had to say.
"We're callin' everyone to ride along
To another shore,
We can laugh our lives away
And be free once more."

Ride, captain, ride
Upon your mystery ship,
Be amazed at the friends
You have here on your trip.
Ride, captain, ride
Upon your mystery ship,
On your way to a world
That others might have missed.

Ride, captain, ride
Upon your mystery ship,
Be amazed at the friends
You have here on your trip.

[[ OOC: Link in case needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOKaSr3B_II ]]

After the song came to an end, Cally felt the eyes on her and stood to applaud Mark, then raised a hand, "Thanks, Mark, I'm honored." She looked around with a big grin on her face, "Of course, since we've got most of the ship's officers and crew here, I'll admit that right now I think the right theme song would be 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat!" She laughed.

[[Any response to that?]]

"After this, I'd like to hand it off to none other than 1st Lieutenant Natalya Markova!" Mark said.

Reishi saw the stunned look on Nat’s face as she was announced and saw her CO freeze slightly. It wasn’t a bad one, just one that Rei realized was… Actually something common to Marines. They weren’t usually social animals unless they were higher rank bad basically required to be. She reached out and placed a hand on Nat’s knee before she herself stood up and approached the mic. “Arigato.” She said to Mark, before typing in a song request. She didn’t like this one bit herself, but if it helped Natalya? Well, she was the Gunny.

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery, and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late

And isn't it ironic?
Don't you think?

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought? It figures

Mr. Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down
He thought, "Well, isn't this nice?"

And isn't it ironic?
Don't you think?

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought? It figures

Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out
When you think everything's gone wrong
And everything blows up in your face

It's a traffic jam when you're already late
A "No smoking" sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife

And isn't it ironic?
Don't you think?
A little too ironic
And yeah, I really do think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought? It figures

Rei bowed slightly to the rest of the crowd before handing the mix to basically the first person she saw, “Sarge, take it.” She stated quietly, commandingly.

Lee let out a sigh as he stood up and took the microphone. If had to sing, he was going to rock it out. He took the stage and plugged in his selection before turning to the audience.
Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore
Oh-oh, oh whoa-oh
Oh whoa-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh whoa-oh
Oh whoa-oh
Oh-oh
This is it, boys, this is war, what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype,
Save that for the black and white
I try twice as hard, and I'm half as liked
But here they come again to jack my style
And that's alright (that's alright)
I found a martyr in my bed tonight
She stops my bones from wondering
Just who I am, who I am, who I am
Oh, who am I? Mm, mm
Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh, Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
No, when I see stars
When I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on
Oh, come on
Oh, come on
Oh, come on
Well, that is it, guys, that is all
Five minutes in, and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home
I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone
All dried up in the desert sun?
My heart is breaking for my sister
And the con that she called "love"
And then, I look into my nephews eyes
Man, you wouldn't believe
The most amazing things
That can come from
Some terrible lies
Oh-oh, oh whoa-oh
Oh whoa-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh whoa-oh
Oh whoa-oh
Oh-oh
The other night you wouldn't believe
The dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we'd both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh, oh
For the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh, oh

Lee put the microphone back in the stand before calling upon the next singer. "Haven't heard from the COB yet. How about it Master Chief?"

Sam gave a slight nod of his head as he rose and took the stage. "Anara, mind dimming the light just a bit." Anara complied as Sam made his song selection.
And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I've travelled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the by-way
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes, there were times
I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all
And I stood tall
And did it my way
I've loved, I've laughed, and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
"Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way"
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
Yes, it was my way

Sam finished his song with a flourish. "Yo!XO! You're up."

The First Officer was nervous, more nervous then he had been in a long time. He took the mic and cleared his throat, looking out at his fellow crew. "I'm a little nervous" he made it clear, he wasn't a great singer but gave a nod and the song started.

I've been walkin' these streets so long
Singin' the same old song
I know every crack in these dirty sidewalks of Broadway
Where hustle's the name of the game
And nice guys get washed away like the snow in the rain
There's been a load of compromising
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Getting cards and letters from people I don't even know
And offers comin' over the phone
Well, I really don't mind the rain
And the smile can hide all the pain
But you're down when you're ridin' the train that's takin' the long way
And I dream of the things I'll do
With a subway token and a dollar tucked inside my shoe
There'll be a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Rhinestone cowboy
Gettin' cards and letters from people I don't even know
And offers comin' over the phone
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Gettin' cards and letters from people I don't even know
Like a rhinestone cowboy

Tyler gave a nod and pointed at Ensign Michelson "You are up" he said with a nervous smile.

Danielle got up and took the stage. "I hope you like it" she said with a smile and took the mic from Tyler.

For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful, baby

You're the one who held me up, never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through, through it all

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am, because you loved me, ooh, baby

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand, I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me, and I stood tall
I had your love, I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me

Maybe I don't know that much, but I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

(You were my strength when I was weak)
You were my strength
(You were my voice when I couldn't speak)
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am, because you loved me, loved me

You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark, shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

(You were my strength when I was weak)
You were my strength
(You were my voice when I couldn't speak)
Oh, when I couldn't speak
(You were my eyes when I couldn't see)
You saw the best there was in me
(Lifted me up when I couldn't reach)
(You gave me faith 'cause you believed)
I'm everything I am, because you loved me

(You were my strength when I was weak)
(You were my voice when I couldn't speak)
(You were my eyes when I couldn't see)
You saw the best there was in me
(Lifted me up when I couldn't reach)
(You gave me faith 'cause you) believed
I'm everything I am, because you loved me, oh-oh

I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

Anara checked her PADD to tabulate the results of the patrons' votes for best performance before heading to the stage to announce the winner of the first Karaoke Night contest. She smiled as she thought about the winning performance. It had been quite moving to say the least.

Anara gave the microphone a double tap. "If I may have everyone's attention for a moment. It is my privilege to announce the winner of our first contest event here at the Hydra Lounge. Though she left right after her performance to attend to a precious, and very precocious toddler. It is my honor to announce Lieutenant Faith Vianelli as tonight's winner. I believe it shows nothing is more powerful than a mother's love."

Anara gestured to the bar. "Next round is on the house folks. Enjoy the rest of your night."