Wallace looked at Freyr while Nirann & Marae conversed. “I was sadly a bit preoccupied when we last met, so I couldn't join your party. Sorry about that.” Freyr shrugged and blushed, trying to recall the night. “That’s quite alright. I think it went a bit awry quite quickly. Our Institute attaché seemed to react quite badly to that thing you gave us.”

Wallace chuckled, looking back at Nirann and Marae. “I have something a bit softer if you’d prefer. I come from a long line of imbibers, but can exercise restraint when the situation demands! I leave it up to you.” With that, the Plenipotentiary waggled one finger and the holo of that nanobot dissolved, reforming into a control interface.

With the array floating closer to her chaise longue, Wallace grasped at an orb in the centre and moved it carefully upwards. The water on the outside of the room immediately began swirling as they rose to the surface. “Such a fun toy. I can see why everyone wants the Cradle. I’d take this over a phallic space brick any day.” She murmured. Freyr giggled, she was beginning to feel a little light headed.

After a second, the vast inky bubble of the ship’s aft section broke water, narrowly missing a pleasure yacht heading to shore. Freyr looked up and saw a few stars peeking through the clouds. “Ah! Music…” Wallace purred. Freyr followed the Plenipotentiary’s finger and saw a large stage erected on the sand, facing out onto the lake. It was quite far away, but with one small motion the orb’s lens-like surface magnified the scene many times.

A Human band of musicians stood on the stage, energetically playing an assortment of guitars, drums and keyboards. Thousands of people were listening, dancing and playing around on an interlinked flotilla of platforms, water slides and buoyant inflatable chairs. “Let's listen in, shall we?” Wallace tapped another sequence on her control panel, and [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26VZ0fkkTB4]sound[/url] steadily filled the room, picked up from nearly a mile away.

[i]“Sing it back to me; this is your life story
You didn't even know it you're trying not to blow it
Because you're kicking back a death wish and here I am just riding out the storm
Believe me when I say that I want to give up
I want to give up but its bad enough to keep me hooked
Just to watch you curse my name and toss and turn”[/i]

The volume increased, sensors perfectly tuned to pick up every nuance in the sound. Several thin wisps of sweet-smelling steam sprayed into the room. Freyr began shimmying in her seat in time with the music.

[i]“Turn around and cross the line you so casually walk between function and fashion
Are you dressed to kill or dressed to impress?
Don't act like you can do better than this.”[/i]

As the rhythm guitarist repeated the last line the lank-haired lead singer, mouth practically touching the vintage microphone, raised an arm and shouted “Sing it!”

[i]“Let me see you put your hands upon the stereo
Its spitting out a ridiculous frequency
But turn it up turn it up
Break a sweat
Cause were just burning up and hitting up the scene that was ours to hit up
Take take me out because I'm ready for your best shot
Make make me out to be a bullet from the pulpit
Or anything that would make you believe!”[/i]