Challenge #02157-E328: The Melody Lingers On

few things annoy or irritate a human more than an unfinished tune or ditty...
ESPECIALLY the simplest ones, notably "a shave and a Haircut" and "Pop goes the Weasel" -- Adam in Darwin

Humans have an alarming attachment to rhythm and melody for a species so centred on sight. Many prefer to have "their tunes" in the background during work, and many more are victim to the Ice/Pressure phenomenon[1]. Humans say that music is a universal language, but even they have conflicts about what music can mean.

Most irritating to Humans are rhythms that are very slightly off from their expectations. Cut off rhythms or melodies, especially the simplest ones. All Humans seem to know "Shave and a Haircut, Stay Clean"[2] or assorted nursery songs associated with mulberry bushes.

With incorrect rhythm and timing, one cogniscent of any Havenworld level, can cause immense anger in Humans. It is strongly advised that Havenworlders do not attempt to use this factoid as a means of manipulation. As Byolith Mees found to her detriment.

There was an old song that Byolith could only remember the chorus of, and she sang it in her absent moments. The tune, co-incidentally, had a lot to do with mulberry bushes to the Human tasked to guard her in her trade chain. It was a song that Byolith sang to herself to help order her mind.

"Relith deyal mey rissith li hal..." she murmured.

Then Human Rey almost shocked the life out of her by adding, "The monkey chased the weasel." The tone was not the friendly calm that a hired Human would employ. This was a pissed-off Human about three steps away from cognicide.

Byolith correctly recognised that she had misstepped. "Have I transgressed?"

"You not finishing song," said Human Rey, and sang the Deathworlder version, which included melody chains that Byolith was unfamiliar with.

She was careful to keep her melodies to herself, that day. It was only afterwards, that the trouble happened. Byolith correctly connected her chorus with angering her Human. Therefore, she employed it to increase the anger index of Human Rey whenever she needed that anger.

What she forgot was the direction in which that anger was directed.

Events became inevitable when Mirilax Pirates attempted to kidnap her. She used the melody sequence as a distress call, with limited success.

Success: The Human Rey triangulated her position and started laying waste to the Mirilax in order to get to her.

Failure: Human Rey's next move was to clamp their hand around Byolith's neck to make the incomplete melody stop.

"THE MONKEY! CHASED! THE WEASEL!" Human Rey bellowed.

Human Rey could have been charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, and breach of contract, but the port authorities ruled Byolith's demise as a self-inflicted injury. Death by misunderstanding. It wasn't the first time that a Galactic had perished my musical misadventure, but it was certainly the most notable.

[1] A monotonous and repetitive bass rhythm of three evenly-spaced beats, followed by four evenly-spaced, but faster beats, followed by a pause and a beat before cycling through again. This is, as many Galactics soon learn, the core element of two conflicting Human songs. One involves eerie whispers, the other involves tuneful shouting. Wars have broken out over less conflict.

[2] The words change, but the rhythm is forever

[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / mcgill]

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