Paradigm City - Fan Fiction

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Player Piano

Chapter 6

Dorothy returned from the final rehearsal looking better than she had in a week. "Tomorrow Madame wants us there half an hour early, at 6:30," she told Roger at dinner. He made a face, quickly suppressed. He liked his habits, and dinner at seven was one of them.

Norman said to Roger, "I'll make something light before the concert, sir." Roger nodded with what good grace he could muster.

"In that case, I'd better tell Dastun to be here by 5:30. It'll do him good to get out of the office on time for once," he decided.

Dorothy was standing by the piano in the penthouse's main room when Roger finished dressing and stepped out from his bedroom. She was wearing the black beads her father had given her, highlighting her slender neck and emphasizing the deep V of the gown.

He watched her finger a tune in the air above the keyboard, nod, then close the cover.

Norman's voice broke the stillness. "Master Roger, Major Dastun is here."

Dorothy turned to Roger. He smiled at her, conscious of how he filled his dinner jacket. "Can't keep our guest waiting, Dorothy. Shall we?" He gestured down the stairs.

Dinner was a simple meal of soup and sandwiches, to minimize cleaning. Roger noticed that Dorothy ate next to nothing, and although she followed the conversation, she was distracted. Norman begged off staying with them, saying that he needed to change.

Norman joined them at the elevator with their overcoats, and the four descended to the garage. Norman and Dorothy sat in the back of the Griffon, and Dastun took the front passenger seat. Roger pulled sedately into traffic, driving to the Concert Hall.

There was a brisk traffic around the Hall. The evening air was chilly, and made the men's overcoats a comfort. Roger offered his arm to Dorothy, while Dastun and Norman walked behind them. They circled the crowd at the front steps and continued to the performers' entrance, where Dorothy shook hands all around and left them. The three men retraced their steps to the front door, where the crowd outside was rapidly entering the hall. When they were inside, Dastun headed for the phone to check in at HQ. Although he was not on duty and had left his aide behind, he wanted the shift lieutenant to be able to reach him.

Their three seats were in the center front section, in the third row. "Nice seats, Roger; I'm going to have to let you talk me into these events more often," commented Dastun.

Roger smiled. "They are donor's perquisites." When Dastun raised his eyebrows at that, Roger said, a little nettled, "Even I can make a donation; this is a benefit concert, after all." He opened his program pamphlet to forestall further questions.

A group found their seats in the row behind them with more discussion than necessary. After they had found their seats, they drifted to a bitter complaint about the two "special guest performers" on tonight's program.

"Art is corrupted by money," a man behind Roger sneered. "I have it on good authority that these android 'performers' are only on stage because they lend a sideshow air to the concert."

"Of course they are," agreed the man to his left. "My brother is in the Orchestra, and he says that there was, hmm, 'financial pressure' brought to bear on the board. I don't say that they can't play," he conceded grudgingly, "but the Orchestra will certainly need to accommodate itself to them, rather than the reverse. Androids have no place playing with humans."

Roger gritted his teeth, then tried to relax as he saw both Norman and Dastun look his way. He forced a smile and shook his head, turning casually to scan the rows behind him. The two men were still talking.

"I think it is a great imposition on season-ticket holders to support such carnival antics," complained the first again. He was a bit older than middle age, with a sallow face set in lines of disapproval.

The second looked like a wrestler gone to seed. He chuckled. "Given the event, perhaps they will come out dressed as clowns."

Roger glared and opened his mouth to speak, but the lights blinked, then dimmed. He faced front as the curtain rose and the Orchestra started playing a bright fast overture. He was calm enough to enjoy the piece before it was finished.

Dr. Zaworski concluded the work, then turned to the audience for its applause. She smiled regally, said "That was the 'Festive Overture' by Shostokovitch. Now it gives me great pleasure to welcome back R. Instro Amaedus, here for 'Rhapsody in Blue.'" She turned toward the right wing and nodded.

R. Instro walked across the stage as calmly as if he were at home at Amadeus. He passed the first piano and sat down at the second, looking up at the conductor. She nodded, lifted the baton, and Daoud Levy started the clarinet solo to begin "Rhapsody in Blue."

Roger had not heard Instro play so well since his new hands were installed. He and Levy seemed to be talking directly to each other through their instruments. The rest of the Orchestra kept up, but this performance was almost a duet.

The applause crashed like a wave; Dastun clapped, leaning over to Roger and yelling "What a song!" Roger looked up at Instro, who looked straight at him. The android gave a satisfied nod, then stood, bowed to the audience, and walked off stage.

Slowly the applause subsided, and Dr. Zaworski said, "Our third piece is written in the style of a court dance; 'Pavane for a Dead Princess.'" She raised her baton. After the energy of "Rhapsody in Blue," this was a controlled, even spare, song that calmed and steadied the audience. When it finished, there was a hush for a moment, then the audience responded with reverent applause. It seemed sacrilegious to show excitement at this work.

When the hall was silent, Zaworski turned to the audience and said, "Our final piece this evening is Mozart's 'Concerto for Two Pianos, no. 10.' We are able to play this tonight thanks to Instro and his pupil, R. Dorothy Wayneright." She nodded toward the right wing. Instro and Dorothy emerged, walking side by side across the stage. Dorothy sat at the first piano, and Instro continued to the second as before. Dorothy looked out at the audience; her gaze met Roger's, and she looked straight at him for five long seconds until Instro had settled himself at his instrument. Roger smiled encouragingly at her; she nodded slightly, turning to the conductor.

"Concerto for Two Pianos" was a conversation in three parts among the pianos and the orchestra. The orchestra led, and the pianos entered after a long musical phrase. During the final movement, each pianist played two voices, so the effect was that of a racing follow-the-leader up and down the keyboard.

Dorothy would glance up at Instro while the sounds from their two pianos interleaved, overlapped, and then broke into a racing dance up the scale. Roger saw in her face a fine fierce look that reminded him of a bird of prey he'd once seen pictured.

The concerto came to a dramatic close, and for a moment nobody moved. Then the hall erupted in applause. Dorothy looked toward Roger, but at that moment, the critics behind Roger hissed, "What a waste of an evening!" His face twisted angrily, and he turned in his seat.

Dastun had overheard the same comment. Laying a hand on Roger's sleeve, he said, "Roger, not here!"

Roger transferred his glare to Dastun, but his good sense prevailed, and he turned back to the front. Putting on an artificial smile, he patted his hands together. He looked up at Dorothy, who had lost a certain something in her expression after the conclusion of the piece. She wouldn't look at him. His smile vanished.

Dr. Zaworski bowed, Dorothy and Instro bowed, the Orchestra rose and bowed, and still the applause rolled over them. Zaworski stepped off the podium, met Dorothy and Instro at center stage, and the three bowed again. Under cover of the sound, the conductor talked to the two, and they nodded and walked to one piano, sat down, and looked at the audience.

"Thank you all for coming tonight," said Zaworski. "Instro and Dorothy are going to play an encore favorite written by Amadeus - 'Ragtime Four Hands'." They sat at their respective pianos, waited a few seconds, and started.

There were a few cheers, quickly suppressed. Roger remembered when Instro and Amadeus had played it together; so, it seemed, did a number of others, because someone in the audience started the traditional clapping during the two-step bridge halfway through the song. At the finish, the applause was brisk, but eventually died down and let the performers escape backstage.

Roger, Norman, and Dastun let the tide ebb before moving to the aisle. Roger led the way to an inconspicuous door near the stage. "Instro suggested we meet them backstage after the show. We'll avoid the crowd."

But backstage was almost as crowded. Black concert dresses and white ties mingled with the more-colorful garb of the spectators come to share the celebration. Roger snagged three champagne flutes as a tray was carried by, and handed them to Norman and Dastun. They contrived to move, by a sort of Brownian motion, toward the end where Dr. Zaworski was holding court with Instro and Dorothy in attendance.

Dr. Zaworski was standing between Dorothy and Instro. She tilted her head up as Instro replied to a question she had put to him. When she saw Roger, she stepped forward and took his hand with both of hers, saying, "Welcome Mr. Smith! We have you to thank for this very successful evening." She suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

Roger blushed. "Thank you, ma'am, but it's the performers who should be congratulated." He smiled at Dorothy, who looked straight at him with something of the same fierce joy she had shown on stage. "Well, Dorothy, did you enjoy your outing?"

Dorothy's face became expressionless. "The performance went very well. Hello, Norman, Major Dastun."

Dastun said gallantly, "I've never been to a better performance. Thank you, Miss Wayneright."

Dr. Zaworski excused herself, saying that she needed to circulate, and drifted toward the other end of the room. Norman and Dastun talked with Dorothy.

Roger noticed that the crowd seemed to have two poles; the larger group was at this end, but another group had formed around the far corner of the room. In it, he recognized one of the two men that had sat behind him during the concert. He was talking animatedly to a beefy younger man standing next to him.

He moved next to Instro. "Instro, do you recognize any of those people in the far corner?"

Instro looked over briefly. "There's a half-dozen members of the Orchestra in that group. I know them by name, but they are not acquaintances. Why?"

"The taller blond sat behind us, and complained about your playing tonight."

"That must be Edward Bell's brother; Bell is standing next to him. He's the most outspoken of the 'art for humans only' faction." Instro's voice sounded amused. "As you can see, his obsession is not generally shared."

Roger drained his glass. Instro shot him a glance. "I take it he was airing his views before the concert, as well," he added dryly.

"Yes, he was," said Roger with some heat. He quieted his voice. "He as much as accused the Orchestra's board of being bribed to let you perform."

"We did get a generous donation two weeks ago," Instro remarked.

Roger nodded. "No good deed goes unpunished," he confessed wryly.

"I'm afraid that in a group this size, there will always be some who try to put the worst interpretation on any action, however benevolent. Edward Bell had hoped to have a solo part in this concert. Our participation spoiled his hopes."

Roger looked around. The room was uncomfortably full to his taste, and outside of Dorothy and Instro, there was nobody he wanted to talk to. "I could use some dinner," he suggested.

Instro nodded. "I know just the place."

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