I found one of your stories a few days ago, I've never heard of your work before and I have to admit, I'm hooked. Thank you, your work makes me smile when I am having a bad afternoon. I saw you want some prompts. So I have one.
Humans hold a New Year's party aboard ship with their friends. And it's a lot quieter than their friends feared it would be. -- Anon Guest
[AN: I am glad I make your day, Nonny. Perhaps you shall make yourself known in any of my varied internet forums? Be glad to see you there]
Terran New Year's: A celebration shared amongst Humans that usually involves artistic explosions. See reference file: Fireworks.
This was quite a bit different to what the infonets said it would be. For starters, the ships' Humans were not lighting any blue touchpaper. A lot of them were inebriated, many of them were wearing amusing spectacles featuring the Terran Common Calendar numeral as part of their integral structure[1].
The Humans had deployed amusing noisemakers with tassels or feathers, and now Companion K'tauk was learning all the intricacies of the "curlytoot".
There was a screen in which varying sections of Humanity were blowing things up in a very artistic way, but the volume was respectfully low. And, in an eerily Human moment, they began to sing. A song with words older than the composer. The meaning of which was likely forgotten.
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot," began one.
Two more took it up in near perfect harmony, "A-and never bought to mind?"
Several more Humans joined in, "Should auld acquaintance be forgot, for the sake of auld lang syne..."
Every Human in the room was singing. Some were shaking hands. Some were embracing. More than a few had moisture in their eyes. "For auld lang syne my dears, for auld la-ang syne... we'll take the cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
K'tauk joined in for the second iteration. It was a simple tune, but a song with ancient meaning and all the feeling behind it.
That bit about the cup of kindness. How often did Humans sing about that in their bloody history, and then forget that kindness within days?
The Humans cheered, "Happy new year," three times, making noise with their little trumpets.
Then one of them started to sing the same tune, but different words. "We're here because, we're here because, we're here because we're here..."
They were laughing along as they sang. No longer solemn, but celebrating.
How Human.
[1] This is easy enough in years with double naughts or even an eight, but when the year is something like 2571, novelty glasses makers are straight-up out of luck. This does not stop them from trying.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / webking]
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