Drum'n'Space – a microtonal space rock opera by Elaine Walker. See: ZiaSpace.com 1. The Beginning (17edo) [NARRATOR] (in the spirit of Plan 9 from Outer Space intro) The universe began as something beyond the range of our experience, and perhaps beyond the range of our mathematical imagination. We do not have and may never have the language to describe the exact beginning. About as close as we can come is to say that the seeds of things-to-be were there from the start, including the seed of some essential Mystery to teach the parts how to become the particular universe that would emerge. The seed surely did not know what it would create, as only time could tell, but it contained the simplest instructions - all that was needed. In an instant, the embryo of the universe came forth, verging perhaps on chaos. But within that instant, the guiding Mystery began to frame events as the creation of a universe-to-be: Time began, space burgeoned, and matter and energy filled it, cascading into existence. As the universe expanded and the first glow of creation faded, gravity became the organizing force. Galaxies-to-be began to form, gathering atoms into banks of swirling mist, and within each bank of mist, smaller swirls of stars-to-be began to break away and coalesce. Then, in the darkness, the first stars were born to relight the universe. As the first stars began to die, some of them exploded, scattering forth new forms of matter. Almost all of this debris remained in the galaxy of its birth, captured by the gravitational mass of the galaxy itself. Over time, much of it combined with remnants of primeval matter to form new swirls of clouds to become a new generation of stars, of which our sun is one.From the remainders of the mother cloud of our sun, a new kind of planet formed, incipient with new complexities. Among the complexities that were realized, was the emergence of a microscopic structure which could capture energy and resources from its environment and replicate itself – the first life form, from which every creature on our planet has developed in an unbroken chain. There was some variability in the replications; variations which were passed on to future generations. Some of the variants were better able than their parents to compete for the resources required to sustain life and reproduction. The competition became intense, and over time living things came to exhibit great complexity and variety. In the end, however, in perhaps the strangest twist, victory went neither to the swiftest nor to the strongest but to the most intelligent species; a species equipped to understand itself, to sort out its origins and those of the universe and to imagine the possibilities of its own future. [E] Bernadette, I swear I cannot find a man on this whole planet. Either they're not smart enough or good enough, or they're non-committers, or they're taken! I just. I really think I give up. [B] Elaine, silly brain, come on. Get a grip. Don't give up yet. There is more than one planet. You just need to look outside of the sphere. [E] Oh I know. You're right. [B] There's that new intergalactic dating site. what's it called?? [E] the Intergalactic dating site. [B] oh haha. [E] I don't know. Some of those guys are so weird. I mean, the men on the high gravity planets are so short and stout, and the low gravity planets have 12 foot tall guys with spaghetti legs. How would THAT work? And then there are the guys with spikes. I don't understand who they bred with to get those. and the blue skin guys. Some strange gene splicing has gone on. And the ones with one extra arm. Yikes! [B] Well don't be so picky. [E] Hey, I can be REALLY picky if I'm expanding my search to the entire galaxy. [E] OK check this guy out. A perfectly sized blond adonis. And check out his PLANET. Its oceans are made out of champagne. [B] Oh ya, I've heard of that planet. Planet Champagne! [E] How is that even possible? [B] Favorite him! Put him on the list! [E] OK here's another one. He’s off visiting some other planet, but he says he'll be back soon; as soon as he fixes his ship. Oh my gosh, he's perfect! This is my perfect guy! Listen to this: "I graduated with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. All that work has paid off though and I do what I love, make robots!" He's brilliant AND funny. And he must be really good at MATH. Oh I hope he likes me. OH MY GOD I know this guy! He's always flying around, touring with his music and stuff. Now he lives way over on this planet so far away. I kind of turned him down years ago, but. I actually fell in love with his music since then. I bet he'll be SOOO excited that I like him now. Whoa look at this guy. He says he's an x-Nomrom. [B] Nomrom? That sounds like Mormon backwards. [E] ha! Nooo but it is a very serious religion in his sector. I really don't understand it but I hear they're always nice guys even though they believe weird stuff. It's perfect. He'll be kind and naive and pure. You know I like 'em pure. He'll be kid-like and fun cuz he's still young and naive and probably really curious. Ohhhhh boy, I'm so excited!! I'm not sure my ship can make it though. I've got to get my ship in motion. My love life depends on it. Ohhh ZIA, she's my only hope. You wanna go with me? I'll need a crew of two. [B] Hell no!

Who Loves You? Me! (10edo) As we leave the Earth Mach 26 I will sing a love song to my ship Paying tribute to her sexy parts As she takes us swiftly to the stars ZIA! Who loves you? Me! ZIA has no science labs, no fancy deck, no armaments, phaser banks or photon guns, no Mr. Spock or number one. ZIA is a melody machine Songs defines a new trajectory We drum our way to every destination Her design was pure imagination ZIA! Who loves you? Me! I will find my man among the stars Propel with circuits, steer with crystal bars When I find my man I'll stay behind And say goodbye to ZIA one last time Who loves you? Me!

Champagne (10edo) A tall blue eyed blondie He lay down beside me And poured me an ocean of bubbly On Planet Champagne, Planet Champagne I've travelled through ages I've seen handsome faces But this man, he aces With champagne embraces I'll drink every ocean To show my devotion This bubbly potion Sends waves of emotion Planet Champagne, Planet Champagne This bubbly potion Sends waves of emotion I'll drink every ocean To show my devotion To Champagne, Planet Champagne This bubbly potion Sends waves of emotion It shimmers like diamonds (singing comes in too and doubles) These bubbly oceans I've travelled through space-time To find one to make mine A man who adores me A blondie who pours me… ..Champagne, Planet Champagne This bubbly potion Sends waves of emotion I'll drink every ocean To show my devotion Champagne

Avatar (16edo) You got to know me You took me to your private lair You want to keep me here But we don't know where you are You're right beside me Yet on a planet far away I thought I knew you But you're just an avatar No one knows who you are Not even you. Not even your avatar No one The path is infinite To that castle in the air We are a vagary A frothy love affair You're right beside me Yet on a starship far away I thought I knew you But you're just an avatar It's finally fading what you meant me You're just an avatar, not really who you are Just a poorly formed personality I filled in all the blanks to fit reality You seemed so real to me But when you disappeared I had an epiphany And now you're dead to me

Love Song (Bohlen-Pierce Scale) I know I love you, because you're not my type Yet I feel a desperate longing I know I love you, because I'm terrified When you're here but not around me And when I brave the space between us and reach to pull you near I float so high A long awaited high It's not the distance that makes me cry It's only torture what you DON'T say I said I LOVE YOU straight into your eyes Now all I can do is wait If your impossible conundrum every creeps away I will be here When the sun meets the sky A long awaited high

Space Battle (19edo) Bad guys everywhere! They surround, all around Crazy shooting Trying to knock me down I'm one small girl With one small crew No weapons no shields Caught in a battlefield What do they want from us? Oh Universe! Lets call them up on the ZIA screen And I'll just ask why they're being mean They say he's just flirting This will not do for me I didn't come all this way just to find this face With my magnetic boots I'll go outside and shoot He will be on the run once he sees my gun Why are you being mean? This is not my idea of flirting! I'm not interested

Love Is The Catalyst (10edo) I get that feeling When I read about the cosmos and ponder how things really work. I can only imagine That we are the eyes and ears of the universe And that is our purpose. And love is the catalyst. I am. We are. I am part of a being. What I think about everything comes true. Therefore I am a dream. Becoming lucid. As pockets of consciousness are bubbling. I am awakening. We are a universe. And love is the catalyst. I am. We are. Who are we? Why do we see? We are the universe; its eyes and mind. For this we need time. For that we are civilized. And love is the catalyst. I am. We are.

Wormhole (19edo) We're interwoven And feeling happy every day But we are broken Stuck between a rock and a hard place Your horse and carriage My antigravity machine Here we are in need of a wormhole Bending space to a time and place We're stuck between two hazards Between your past and my future And you're not ready But I never want to hear your silence Because it hurts me What we really need is science Let's get our love in motion Because there is no magic potion For you and me. There they are again! I think those guys are watching over me. What are they doing? Antimomentum It makes matter act like clay And then just smoosh them In between a rock and a hard place Out comes a wormhole A gravity machine Here we are in front of a wormhole Bending space to a time and place We're here between two hazards Between your past and my future Please say you're ready To cross the bridge.. from here to our future But how do we get there With a broken rocket booster? Come on guys, we need to get this ship in motion! My love life depends on it! This wormhole, it's my only hope. Let's get this ship in motion I want to sail the cosmic ocean Just you and me [guy] You're the only woman I've been with besides my religious Nomrom wife. I don't know if you're normal. [elaine] Trust me, I'm not. I'm better. [guy] I need time to think. [elaine] Hurry! It's closing! Come on! [the wormhole closes] You shot right through my layers of emotion I would have sailed the cosmic ocean With you

Greater Good (Bohlen-Pierce Scale) All I see is dumb dumb dumb.. everywhere All I hear is dumb dumb dumb.. and dumb again All I feel is numb numb numb I just want someone by my by my side but I tried and I tried Cosmos knows I tried I gave my time I gave my heart I gave my mind But it did no good I have travelled space and time trying trying trying for every handsome face Now all I feel is numb numb numb I'm just lost in space with no one by my side and I tried and I tried Cosmos knows I tried I gave my time I gave my heart I gave my mind But it did no good as it should I have travelled space and time Part of me has died But the rest has come alive [Cosmos knows I've tried] I looked under the hood And I saw good [Cosmos knows I've tried] Maybe no one can see it but me, but it's ok 'Cause giving up has set me free I will devote my life to curiosity And to the Greater Good I'll give my time I'll give my heart I'll give my mind To the greater good as I should

Happiness (16edo) This song is where the plot gets wrapped up for the live space rock opera. Elaine had given up on finding the love in her life, and had agreed to let the aliens ascend her to a higher energy form. So during "Happiness" she floats around as an energy cloud. But then another energy cloud floats over and they merge together, forming the shape of a heart. This is the punchline of the entire rock opera. Her true love had turned out to be a higher energy form that had also given up on the human realm (or whatever alien it was before ascending to an energy cloud.. who knows). Love is not about finding a perfect person, it's about finding someone who lets you be the best person - or energy cloud - you can be. The End.

This instrumental plays during the ending credits after the live space rock opera ends.