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Finally putting the scenes in my head to the music that inspires them.
[Instrumental start]
Space: a 3-axis pan across an empty starfield
Empty spaces - what are we living for?
Stationary fly-by shot of the Excelsior (refit)-class starship USS Renown NCC-2545, heading slowly away from the camera into that blank starfield. Think Excelsior accompanying Enterprise-A at the end of STVI for camera positioning and ship speed.
Abandoned places - I guess we know the score
The Tarsus IV colony, abandoned since 2246. Image of the Cistern area in the original Tomb Raider; large, multi-level recessed shelves surrounding a central plaza. (This is because of a confluence of reading Shatner’s ‘Avenger’ and playing that section of Tomb Raider on my Playstation around the same time)
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for?
Stationary fly-by shot of the Renown, as above
Another hero,
Image of Commodore Andrea Jane Yushikara in her STVI-era Starfleet uniform, standing before her command chair on her bridge. Legs braced slightly apart, head tilted slightly down; a defiant but melancholy image. Think Kirk on the bridge of the Enterprise-A ordering the surrender of Enterprise to Kronos One.
another mindless crime
Image of the Renown transiting through the Typhon Expanse Temporal Anomaly. Think Bozeman appearing out of it to the Enterprise-D
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Flag of the UFP in a light breeze, two slow ripples of the fabric.
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore?
A “skirmish line” of the Federation fleet as seen at the Battle of Cardassia
[dramatic drum beat, break in the lyrics]
Cut to the Dominion fleet in another skirmish line, facing the Feds.
The show must go on!
The Federation fleet firing torpedoes, the odd phaser beam. Photons firing in a slow, deliberate manner that matches the beat of the song to each torpedo launch. Think of the Excelsior and Enterprise-A firing on Chang’s Bird of Prey in STVI. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Dominion Fleet.
The show must go on! Yeah!
The Dominion fleet responds in kind. Slow, deliberate torpedo fire matched to the beat – a grim, relentless, inevitable event that history couldn’t stop. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Federation Fleet.
Inside my heart is breaking
The Dominion torpedoes detonating amongst and on the Federation ships.
My make-up may be flaking
On the bridge of the Renown as it shakes, centred on Andrea‘s command chair but seeing people holding on around her.
But my smile… still stays on
Close up on Andrea sitting in her chair from about the waist up. She’s firmly gripping the armrests and a grim smile plays on Andrea’s lips. She’s most at peace here and now, out of time and cut adrift from everything else but the ship and crew she loves, but realises just how bad that really is.
Whatever happens, I leave it all to chance
Image of Andrea in her quarters, gently cradling a holo of Princess Kirsten Raleigh of Kenda, Andrea’s wife of 20 years. She died only a few years before the Renown reappeared to the rest of the universe in 2368.
Another heartache, another failed romance
Flashback image of Andrea’s emotional leaving-taking of Kirsten to take another tour as a ship commander in 2315.
On and on, does anybody know what we are living fo-oo-oor?
Stationary fly-by shot of the Renown, this time from the above the bow and watching her sail past underneath us.
I guess I'm learning (I’m learning), I must be warmer now
Andrea standing in her quarters by the bed, looking down at the new Starfleet uniform she’s holding.
I'll soon be turning (turning, turning), ‘round the corner now
Andrea wearing the new Starfleet uniform. Angle is up from the floor from her front-right, her head turned over her right shoulder to look into the mirror to assess how it looks from behind.
Outside the dawn is breaking
Image from above the bow of the Renown, emerging from the shadow of a planet on our left as we see her. The system’s sun appearing over the limb of the planet and bathing the ship in light on her starboard side.
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
Andrea in her quarters, lights off, starlight coming in from her porthole. Just a silhouette sitting at her desk.
The show must go on!
The Federation fleet firing torpedoes, the odd phaser beam. Photons firing in a slow, deliberate manner that matches the beat of the song to each torpedo launch. Think of the Excelsior and Enterprise-A firing on Chang’s Bird of Prey in STVI. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Dominion Fleet.
The show must go on! (Yeah-e-yeeeaaah!)
The Dominion fleet responds in kind. Slow, deliberate torpedo fire matched to the beat – a grim, relentless, inevitable event that history couldn’t stop. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Federation Fleet.
Ooooh, inside my heart is breaking
The Dominion torpedoes detonating amongst and on the Federation ships.
My make-up may be flaking
On the bridge of the Renown as it shakes, centred on Andrea‘s command chair but seeing people holding on around her.
But my smile… still stays on
Close up on Andrea sitting in her chair from about the waist up. She’s firmly gripping the armrests and a grim smile plays on Andrea’s lips. She’s most at peace here and now, out of time and cut adrift from everything else but the ship and crew she loves, but realises just how bad that really is.
[Extended Electric Guitar solo]
Scenes of ship-to-ship combat, very Dominion War. Renown dodges and weaves, pivots and pounces, rescuing a ship here and there with well-timed torpedo salvoes, taking moderate blows and soldiering on. Andrea on her bridge giving orders loudly and firmly, occasional gestures and pointing fingers for emphasis. In the corridors of the Renown, crew getting buffeted and shaken around as they try to keep her together.
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Andie’s early years on the Illustrious, making friends. Her relationships with Megumi, T’Pris, and Kirsten.
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die
Scenes from Andrea in her glory years, First Officer of the Sovereign, Captain of the Livingstone leading the Battle of Kenda, Captain of the unrefitted Renown as she leads Federation squadrons against ISC Echelons.
I can fly-e-iiiiii, my friends!
Andrea’s MiG-29 spaceplane ‘Asuna’ soaring vertically in space to eclipse a sun, rolling as she does. Think of the BatPlane soaring above the coulds in front of the Moon from Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson's 'Batman'. She is made of custom-retooled standard interstellar shuttle parts, scratch-built by her shuttle and deck crews for Andrea.
The show must go on! (Go on! Go on! Go on!)
The Federation fleet firing torpedoes, the odd phaser beam. Photons firing in a slow, deliberate manner that matches the beat of the song to each torpedo launch. Think of the Excelsior and Enterprise-A firing on Chang’s Bird of Prey in STVI. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Dominion Fleet.
The show must go on! (Go on! Go on! Go on!)
The Dominion fleet responds in kind. Slow, deliberate torpedo fire matched to the beat – a grim, relentless, inevitable event that history couldn’t stop. Last few seconds showing reverse angle on the torpedoes heading rapidly into the Federation Fleet.
I'll face it with a grin!
I'm never giving in!
O-oooon with the show!
Back on Andrea’s bridge as sparks fly from overhead systems and the lights flicker. Renown’s taking some hard hits, the bridge crew are being flung roughly about, but Andrea is now wearing a ferocious grin as she clings with grim determination to her armrests, leaning slightly forward. Scene tightens on her slowly as the three lines of lyrics pass by.
[Extended Electric Guitar solo]
Scenes of ship-to-ship combat, very Dominion War. Renown dodges and weaves, pivots and pounces, rescuing a ship here and there with well-timed torpedo salvoes, taking moderate blows and soldiering on. Andrea on her bridge giving orders loudly and firmly, occasional gestures and pointing fingers for emphasis. In the corridors of the Renown, crew getting buffeted and shaken around as they try to keep her together.
I'll top the bill, I'll overkill
Yushikara Squadron – five old Excelsior-class starships in the NCC-18xxx range lead by her own Renown in a flying V formation – smashing through a several flights of Jem’Hadar attack ships with prodigious use of photons at short range.
I have to find the will to carry on
A sweep of her long-standing bridge crew, with lingering emphasis on Science Officer T’Pris – her th’y’la. Spock to her Kirk.
On with the -
On with the -
Show-ooo-oh-ow!
Camera swivels to centre on Andrea’s viewpoint – looking at the viewscreen, display empty starfield.
The show must go on! (Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Fading away)
The Renown sails slowly away as she did at the start of the song.
[Fade to black…]
I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,
or tell you that.
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it
where's the sense in that?
On Renown’s damaged bridge, arguing with her Science Officer, T’Pris. Andrea’s not arguing, T’Pris is exhorting her to come with her, go on living, keep making a difference. Andrea says little, just smiles sadly at her th’y’la with deep regret. Another woman she has loved and been unable to do anything about.
I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were
Andrea cannot go “home”. “Home” is now some 60 years in the past to where her now-dead wife still lives, where she has a place, a purpose, colleagues and enemies who respect her. Andrea is too tired, heartbroken – heartsick – to keep going.
But I will go down with this ship
Forward-starboard image of the Renown, slowly pulling away from her, aflame and adrift. Obviously and extensively damaged, she’s gently listing. She’s floating further and further away from the camera, getting smaller with each revisit of this scene.
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
Indulging in the (Fordian) Klingon tradition of ‘Kahlest Kasse’ – “Kahless’ Hand”. She has figuratively "tied a sash" around her right arm and the armrest of her command chair.
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be
Andrea loves her ship as a living thing; she’s looking around her at her darkened, empty bridge, knowing Renown has finally given her last – and thinking that so has she. Andrea is not leaving her beloved ship to die alone.
I know I left too much mess and
destruction to come back again
And I caused nothing but trouble
I understand if you can't talk to me again
And if you live by the rules of "it's over"
then I'm sure that that makes sense
Andrea has performed another Kirkian feat: saved a situation but pissed off the Brass again in the way she did it. This time she has wrecked her ship to do it, and she is sure Starfleet Command will ground her. She will not get another command, and at this point she’s not sure if she would take one even if it were offered to her. Scenes of her imagining the debriefings, interviews, and cross-examinations to follow.
But I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be
Flashback to the event which lead to the Renown’s demise. Shouted orders on the bridge, in Engineering, crew running urgently and purposefully in her corridors. Shields glowing white hot fending off the ferocity of the natural phenomena threatening millions of lives. Power systems straining to overload, the whole vessel shaking like a leaf in a storm. Sensors burning out, power conduits blowing, consoles sparking. A massive whine in the air as overtaxed systems make their imminent failure known to all.
External shots of the ship show her pristine hull being scored and deformed by the massive energy overload leaking through the now-opaque shields. Groaning structural members give voice to the torment the ship is suffering – but still she holds herself together.
Through it all, Andrea clings to her command chair, loudly and firmly yelling orders over the bedlam. The calm at the centre of the storm.
And when we meet
Which I'm sure we will
All that was then
Will be there still
I'll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I've moved on....
Andrea still wants to go home. She’s lost so much over the years, had so much taken from her by an apparently uncaring universe. But there’s nothing for it. She’s not irresponsible enough to change history by going back on her own – besides, from what she’s heard from reports from the Voyager crew, it’s likely she would be stopped – so she is trapped by her own morals. There’s no point discussing it and upsetting her friends who appear to have adjusted to their new lives – but it is always there, and it comes to visit her in the night.
Scenes of her with her crew. She’s proud of every one of them. She doesn’t let on her inner torment, but her closest friends know, and feel powerless to help her.
But I will go down with this ship
The saucer surface is pitted and scored, her registry beginning to bubble as the failing shields let in more and more energy.
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
The warp nacelles’ grilles begin to spark, microfractures graduating into fractures and fully-fledged cracks. The grilles flicker erratically, but power is maintained.
There will be no white flag above my door
The secondary hull flares begin to vaporise one thumbnail-sized section at a time as hard radiation penetrates the fluctuating shields and burns holes into and through her tough duranium-tritanium hide.
I'm in love and always will be
Shields failing, the mission incomplete, the crew are ordered into the escape pods and shuttles; only crew essential to the mission remain. An exodus of small craft depart their parent starship, and shielded by her, escape the danger zone
I will go down with this ship
The shields, opaque-white, finally collapse completely, but the mission goals are not met. The danger still exists. Millions of lives are still threatened. Renown soldiers on, all power channelled into her navigational deflector, the huge forcefield projector built into the front of the secondary hull re-arranging by main force the composition of her unthinkingly lethal opponent to disperse the danger.
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
Precisely calculated impulse thrusts push and sweep and carve and bisect the danger zones, rendering the phenomena less harmful by stages – but will it be totally harmless soon enough? The saucer takes brutal damage, sections of hull plates vaporising as if by direct weapon strikes but scattered across the the entire surface.
There will be no white flag above my door
Under the unfiltered – if greatly reduced – effects of their deadly foe, Renown’s hull begins to buckle more seriously. The warp nacelle support pylons begin to twist and sag as the remaining power in the SIF tries to combat the uneven weakening of their physical structure.
I'm in love and always will be
Victory! Rejoicing and relief from the crew that remain, but at what cost to the rescuers? Renown floats there, broken and bereft of her crew, the residual pushing from the deflector and impulse engine misfires nudging her in this direction and that. Her external and internal lights flicker erratically. Seen from outside, the ship looks half melted and leporous at the same time. She’ll never be spaceworthy again.
I will go down with this ship
“I won’t leave you,” Commodore Andrea Jane Yushikara whispered to her quiet, still bridge. All the alarms and computer voice had been shut off to give this moment its dignity – a dignity she had demanded.
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
“We couldn’t save you this time, Old Girl,” she continued, lovingly caressing the armrests of her command chair, “but I’m not giving up on you. You never did on me,” she added, her voice breaking and her throat clogging up with as-yet unshed tears.
There will be no white flag above my door
“You go, we go,” she managed to push out in a whisper as the tears finally spilled down her face, the bridge around her dissolving into blurs, then blinding white.
I'm in love, and always will be.
Warp core breach.