Hey guys. I know it's been nearly a month since I've re-posted the first three chapters and added a fourth. Me being a perfectionist and schoolwork (two essays, one of which is 20 pages long which I havn't started yet) are my excuses for not cranking these out at a fast rate unlike others. I actually have about 50 pages of the whole story that I havn't posted yet already written. It's just me filling in the blanks. Once December rolls around, I'll try to get the whole thing done and posted by the end of the year. So enjoy. BTW, the song that's sung here is "Starseed" by Our Lady Peace.

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After a half hour ride on the subway system, in which River talked to The Dude about her musical background, influences and songs of her own, they arrived at The Dude’s place. It was in a former warehouse district that had been renovated as low rent apartment lofts, designed for the artistic community that was slowly emerging in cities like these on all the Core planets. As they climbed the stairs to the top floor of the building, they could hear the random notes and phrases of a base guitar, a baritone sax, an electric piano and a drum kit.

When The Dude opened the door to the floor, River stepped into a large room. Judging by the cot and personal affects in one corner, and the boxes, crates, old and battered up couches and easy chairs and construction materials and tools that cluttered the walls, The Dude had only moved here recently. In the center of the room, there was a basic set up for an emerging rock band. A set of drums sat predominantly in the space that was surrounded by bongos, a bodhran, amps, mike stands, various wires, an electric piano and a rack of instruments that ranged from brass to woodwind.

At each of the various instruments were four guys. The guy that was playing the drums was a gangly type, with glasses and pale skin. His thin wrists were beating the drums in common time, as he listened intently to the surrounding music around