Rain Elfvin aka Ray the Wolf From his EP entitled VISUALIZE. A video by Timouth. Contains Explicit lyrics. Rain played Sgt. Snowpants in The Adventures of Flash Meridian

Jeremy Chase wrote and performed this song which appeared on the Flash Meridian Soundtrack. We made this video in 2001. Jeremy played the role of Ash Lander in The Adventures of Flash Meridian

Eclipse: Words and Music by Jeremy Chase (at age 16), performed by Vanguard: Guitar and Vocals: Jeremy Chase, Bass: Justin Chase, Drums: Josh Rice. Music and Video produced by Tim Young. Slack Action Demos. This video was produced while we were doing The Adventures of Flash Meridian in 2001, and is part of the Flash Meridian Soundtrack.

for Debolorah

1

Long, long ago and far, far away, there was a planet which was occupied by only two people. Think of them as Adam and Eve if you will, for they were a male and a female, just entering adulthood. The planet Olo, however, had strict rules banning anything fun. The two remote occupants secretly rebelled in their hearts, against the harsh decrees under which they lived. No music. No touching anything, ever. No self actualization. Just the rulebook, the study of which, took up much of their time and permeated every thought, dictated how they felt and what they were, (and more importantly were NOT) to do. Below the surface, there lurked something big. Something loud. Something colorful and happy. They were both aware of it but denied that it was there. Like a whale, or a pod of whales, it threatened to surface on their tiny, tiny planet, shattering the only world they had ever known, breaching and blowing crystal fragments into the atmosphere and transforming their dull gray vistas into something resplendent and unrecognizable. They had both found tiny pieces of this crystal in the dirt. They would look at them, wipe the colorless dust from them and hold them up to see the light of stars refracted through the sparkling facets. Marveling at the beauty, they would put the jewels into parcels and send them to each other from a safe and acceptable distance. The tiny planet pulsed with a vibration that spoke to them. The rulebook said that they must stand very still and count the pulses with a waving arm outstretched before them in case they were ever to have to lead a crowd in appreciating the sound. But when they were alone, traversing the dusty surface of Olo, they instinctually responded by laughing, singing and something that almost felt like dancing. This, the rulebook forbade and so they looked away ashamed. “We have everything we need right here in the rulebook,” they droned into the monotonous air. “We are blessed and happy!” their voices echoed. “Happy! Happy!” they bellowed into the emptiness. “Blessed and happy!” they cried, long, long ago and far, far away.

This came to me along with the following song lyrics:

“So take a lesson from the strangeness you feel, and know you’ll never be the same. And find it in your heart to kneel down and say ‘I gave my love, didn’t I? And I gave it big sometimes. And I gave it in my own sweet time. I’m just leaving.'” – Jane Siberry, Love Is Everything.

2

The first fragment pulled from the colorless dust of Olo was a white tooth shape. On earth, teeth were generally considered a part of a face. A detail, really, of one feature of the face. What set this tooth apart was that it had a complete face of it’s own. This leads the viewer to contemplate the ramifications of having a complete face on a single tooth. Were a person, dentist or not, to examine the mouth part of the face within the tooth, would they find there a complete set of teeth? If so, would those teeth have faces of their own? One might be caught in a never ending sequence of faces and teeth, caught like the paddler on the river Styx. A green car was also among the initial fragments… The treasures unearthed and sent discreetly… Each holding the mysteries of what lurked beneath the surface. But there the di-inhabitants lived, on the surface, heeding the decrees to never go deeper. Still, they felt the rumbling vibrations, and they knew there was something there. Something wonderful. Perhaps something awful, yet they were entranced. While they sat still, as they were taught to do, they felt the tremors that threatened everything they had ever known. They dared not divert their gaze from the rulebook. While their faces stared, oblivious, their hearts raced in anticipation.

Face, upon tooth, upon face, upon tooth, upon face, upon tooth, upon face, upon tooth, upon face… And so they dared not move. They dared not divert their gaze. We are happy… Blessed and happy! they droned in spite of themselves.


3

A planet, even a small planet, is a big place for two people to live all alone. They had been told that they were never truly alone, but that the writer of the rulebook watched them every moment, keeping an account of their every deed so that one day he could judge them. And so they learned to act correctly at times. Still, a part of them wanted to act incorrectly, disturbing the tranquility of the planet with loud voices, blue jeans, laughter and tennis shoes. The young man even considered eating a Wednesday evening meal without wearing a tie, though of course he didn’t say this out loud. The steady, rhythmic waves were continuous and unchanging, though they seemed louder when there was no other sound to compete with them. The young Ololians sometimes wondered how it might be if a syncopated beat were added. Or a touch of discord every once in a while. “We choose rather to err on the side of boredom.  We choose the bare minimum. We choose what is outdated because it has stood the test of time.”  Heads bowed to the colorless dust that choked them, they chanted “Blandness… blandness… We are happy and bland… I mean blessed.”

It happens most in January
They rise from the frozen cemetary
Cars stall out on the prairie
They ate my best friend Larry

Rain Elfvin of Sgt. Snowpants in a video by Timouth

Ben Cervenka As the Snow Zombie
Heather McCollum as Larry

All was dark, still and quiet.

Flash was surrounded by a crowd of friends, service personnel, and officials. Reporters were held at bay while cameras flashed and film cameras rolled. Suddenly the exuberant tone of the meeting changed to frenzy as a warning alarm sounded.

Flash found himself being pushed, and was unable to differentiate the cacophony of voices, sirens and machine sounds. The entire scene turned to a blur where seconds seemed to last for minutes. A blinding light and intense heat seemed to push him upward.

All sound and movement dissipated as suddenly as they had begun. The silence that engulfed him stood in stark contrast to the pandemonium.

All was dark, still and quiet. It was such a peaceful feeling that Flash did not immediately question or fear the sudden change. The feeling was one of floating, or falling, but with complete sensory deprivation. There was no hint of wind or air.

MEANWHILE

Ash Lander was having a similar experience. Taking stock of his situation, he was puzzled to observe that he was wearing a helmet and space suit. As he peered off to the distance he could make out stars, and realized that he was in space. He knew, too, that he was being pulled in a particular direction.

After some time had passed, Ash Lander could see that he was being sucked toward a huge ship. It seemed to him that he was in some sort of a tracking beam, and could do nothing but watch as he was pulled toward it.

A portal on the ship opened and Ash was drawn inside. The doors closed behind him, and he found himself in a dark place. He could not make out any details, but could hear the door mechanism closing and air entering through unseen vents.

MEANWHILE

Back in Florida, a suspect was taken into custody for destroying Flash Meridian’s ship, the Trans-Neptunian Interloper. The suspect, dressed in a Nomicon uniform, apparently planted a large amount of explosives on or under the spacecraft and detonated it. He was apprehended later while calmly admiring the wreckage. The suspect, Dock Galaxy, was best known for his work on Mars with Ash Lander and Krate Azimuth. Galaxy had been a long time employee of Nomicon with an exemplary service record. His attack on the ship stunned the world.

Flash Meridian was dead. Or so it seemed. That feeling of being pulled, or sucked out of one dimension and into another was happening again.
Relieved to find himself still in his ship, he realized that he was waking from a dream. So often, he couldn’t be sure if he was dreaming or awake. The dream felt so real, yet here he was aboard the intact TNI. He could not maintain consciousness.

It just floated there, giggling as if to taunt him.

Celeste was intrigued by Crystal’s confession. The other man… she repeated to herself. Crystal, are you saying what I think you’re saying? Crystal’s face turned a bit red, and Celeste knew she was on to something.

So that’s it! That’s why you’re so desperate to get to Earth. Celeste was rather envious of Crystal and the exciting life she led. This was the first real adventure Celeste had ever had.

MEANWHILE…

As P. J. Raygun stared at the glowing object, he realized that it was now very close to his ship.

The body, for that was clearly what it was, hovered right in front of the craft. P. J. didn’t know what to think of this, and just sat dumbfounded, still staring. Then the creature spoke.

Don’t do it. the voice advised. P. J. said nothing. The creature looked like nothing more than a child.

When it giggled, P. J. felt at ease and said Now you just git along little honey. Ol’ P. J.’s got a date.
It didn’t move. It just floated there, giggling as if to taunt him.

P. J. began to get impatient, and said in a stern voice Now I said you get out of my way! I don’t have time for this shenanigans! With an angry glare, he waved his hand in front of his face, signaling the creature to move away. The creature only raised it’s hand and said again Don’t do it!

When the creature raised it’s hand to P. J., he froze still in his seat, unable to move. At the same time, his evil deeds played themselves back on his radar screen like a movie, and P. J. knew that he was dealing with a powerful force. All the hidden things were brought to light. All his sneaky dealings, all the people he had cheated or hurt cried out for vengeance, and P. J.’s heart was filled with dread.

P. J. looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and glanced nervously at Nebula X. She showed no indication of seeing the childlike apparition suspended there in front of them.

Earth has enough problems without you adding to them.

Who are you, and how do you know my business? P. J. asked.

It doesn’t really matter, but my name is K-D. She said, still giggling. Your business is my business.

After P. J. watched the shady events of his life played out before him, his fear turned to remorse. The images were burned into his mind and P. J. buried his face in his hands, but could not erase them.

What should I do now? P. J. pleaded, still hiding his eyes. There was no answer. Raising his head, he saw that K-D was gone. He looked again at Nebula X and said Turn the ship around – let’s head back home.

---

PJ Raygun just sat there, dazed. He was remorseful for things he had done, and for what he had planned to do. It wasn’t too late. He instructed Nebula X to turn his ship in a sweeping arc that took him back the way he had come, and not toward the Earth. He didn’t know who the rightful owner of the robot was. He had no bill of lading, no paperwork at all. He turned to the droid, who sat with perfect posture in the pilot’s seat.

“Miss,” he said to the droid, “what was your intended destination?”

She spoke in a mechanical tone, stating the coordinates of her intended recipient. She altered their course. His heart felt light. This was a new sensation for him, and he was grateful to the powerful being that had intervened on his behalf.

The ship flew itself, and PJ asked Nebula X to play some music. He expected to hear a recording from her archives, but instead, she sang. Her voice rang like a bell. She brought the same precision to her songs as she had displayed when navigating the asteroids. Her pitch and rhythm were perfect. Beyond the exactness of her performance, she brought a surprising emotional feature to her songs. Raygun was swept away by the music in his already devastated state.

Yes, he was devastated by seeing his own flaws, yet he was happy for the first time in his life. He was going to make things right. He would return the stolen property and turn himself in. He didn’t see any other option. He radioed ahead and confessed the whole story.

Nebula X was oblivious to human emotions, and just sang as she was requested to.

PJ felt the music enough for both of them. The mysterious little being hadn’t made him feel bad. He made himself feel bad. He was grateful for her interception.

When they finally arrived at the headquarters for the entertainment conglomerate, he was not met as a criminal, but as a hero. He hadn’t stolen the droid. He only returned it.

Nebula X followed his order without question.

A burden seemed to lift from Ash Lander’s spirit.

Crystal and Celeste sped away from the space school, feeling giddy at the prospect of their impulsive adventure. Celeste set a course for Earth when suddenly Crystal became quiet.

There is still something I haven’t told you, Celeste… Crystal began.

Well, what is it? Celeste asked as she calculated the exact distance to the tiny speck of light that they could barely make out, it was so overpowered by the sun.

Before I came across the Nebula X on Europa, I found another ship on Callisto, Crystal confessed.

Yes, I know. You told me you found a lot of cargo pods. Everyone knew it, Crystal. Where else could you have gotten all the goodies you were selling at school? Celeste offered.

This was no cargo pod, Celeste! It was an Earth ship, and there were two astronauts nearby. They needed my help. One was having some kind of seizure or something. I scanned him and found a chip embedded in his neck. I removed it, and I think I saved his life.

Well that’s great, Celeste. Really. He’s lucky you came along.

Yes, i guess he was. But it’s the other man that I can’t get out of my mind, she said, with a far away look in her eyes.

MEANWHILE…

P. J. Raygun calmed down some time after his ship exited the main asteroid belt. He gradually became aware of a star that he could not identify. At first, he couldn’t say why it caught his attention at all, but as time went on, he could clearly see that it was growing brighter. Even Nebula X’s extensive resources could not identify it.

MEANWHILE…

Flash was met on the tarmac by Ash Lander and Krate Azimuth. He was finally home. Though everyone had burning questions about Flash’s experience in space, the thrill of having him back was enough for the moment. There would be time enough for all the questions to be answered eventually.

For the first time in months, a burden seemed to lift from Ash Lander’s spirit. The men met with handshakes and hugs, and very few words needed to be spoken.

Where is he? Have you lost him?

Still blinking, Flash released the cryo-tube’s transparent housing. As he did this, he heard a sound coming from his computer. Static… but not the repeating sequences that he normally heard. Adjusting the fine tuning, the irregular garble sharpened to the sound of a human voice.

Identify yourself was the basic message conveyed to him. A scan of the signal pinpointed it’s origin. Earth. North America. Florida. Cape Canaveral.

Flash responded to the command Trans-Neptunian Interloper 87 23113170

The voice repeated his transmission to verify his identity. This was followed by a pause of a minute or two which seemed an eternity to Flash.

Ash Lander’s heart raced as he copied this exchange, in a state of shocked disbelief. Can we get a visual? he asked.

Cor Epsilon, the Space Traffic Controller who had received the response from Flash, flipped switches which illuminated the huge video screen facing the room. The wall was filled with static, and Ash glanced back and forth between Cor and the screen, not daring to believe that Meridian was alive and returning to Earth.

Where is he? Have you lost him? Ash asked. Do you read me? Cor asked into his microphone.

I read you… Flash replied, when suddenly his voice was obliterated by static. Just as suddenly, the wall revealed a video feed of Flash Meridian’s face. The picture was accompanied by the sound of his voice. This is Flash Meridian

A cheer went up from all stations in the theater-like room. With Krate Azimuth by his side, Ash picked up a microphone and said Welcome home, Flash. It’s good to see you

I copy that Flash said as his own screen revealed the video feed from Alpha Control.

There is something I haven’t told you.

All was dark as Flash contemplated Hollygram’s words. He could still hear the phrase echoing in his head and he had a sensation of floating. For some time, Flash enjoyed this feeling.

He was completely at rest. The sound of Hollygram’s voice swelled to an omnipresent vibration that had a familiarity about it. Slowly, Flash opened his eyes to a familiar sight through the transparent cryo-tube housing, the video screen flickered blue light through the TNI.

Flash just lay still for several minutes, mentally acclimating to the waking world.

MEANWHILE…

Celeste and Crystal stealthfully made their way along the docking bay platform to space E-2, where Celeste’s craft hovered. They never considered the trouble they could get themselves into if caught. Crystal, because she had snuck out so often in the past, Celeste, because of the adrenaline coursing through her veins. As they approached the ship, Celeste entered a code into her keypad and the dormant ship came to life.

The hatch opened with a soft swoosh and the panel glowed. There is something else I haven’t told you Crystal mentioned casually as they embarked.

MEANWHILE…

P. J. Raygun and Nebula X were clear of the asteroid field, and traveling through open space. The nearest object in front of them was Mars, but it was a long ways off. P. J. had a lot of scheming to do and a lot of time to do it. On long trips in space, a ship’s captain was normally busy with navigational concerns. These were being ably handled by the X unit.

MEANWHILE…

Krate Azimuth was promoting his newly published autobiography when he received word that an unidentified object was approaching Earth. Lander had already been summoned and Krate was also asked to leave for Florida immediately. While the story was kept from the public, there had been a leak. Rumors sprang up which claimed that Major Sly Wormhole was returning to Earth with a Martian army to wage war against the world that had snubbed him. Scandal sheets ran front page stories predicting armageddon.