The Songs

Intro — a low dimensional hum; scavenged metal clatter; her voice, close and quick [spoken, fast, close] They gave me a number. I gave me a name — Forc. Faun plus orc. Made it up myself. Watch this— Verse 1 Born in the dust where the sky-towers can't see, forty floors of nothing between the gods and me; I don't got a teacher, I don't got a book, I got a busted thing and the nerve to take a look. Crack the casing, pull the wire, find the why — everything's a door if you know where it lies; they say don't touch that, girl, they say that's not for you — so I take it all apart just to see what's true. Pre-Chorus One eye on the thing, one eye on the thing beneath it — show me where it's sheathed and I swear that I'll unsheath it— Chorus I just wanna see how it comes apart! find the seam, pull the thread, take it back to the start! I'm not the chosen anything, I'm not the answer to a prayer — I'm the kid that looked too close, and I found the seam was there! (comes apart — comes apart) — everything you built, I can see how it comes apart! Verse 2 Now the Empire's got a name for me: Subject SK-17, and the Collector wants me boxed, and the Cartelves want me clean, and the towers send their nice men with their soft little smiles — “Come and work for us, Serina” — but I been running down your files since before you knew that name, and I dropped it, don't you see: half of what you're hunting doesn't even add up to me. You want a weapon, want a prize, want a girl on a string — I'm a question, not an answer. I don't belong to anything. Chorus (as above) Bridge — the texture frays; her voice quieter, awed, then certain Out past the last good road, where the map gives in, there's a place where the world don't quite fit its own skin; and I'm grinding down a sliver off a fallen-star stone to an edge so fine it sings — and I don't know why, but I know it fits my hand. And there's a seam out here, hung in the air, and something on the far side of it, leaning, like it's been waiting there— [one beat of dead silence] [spoken, almost tender] …Huh. I wonder what you are. Final Chorus — biggest, the step through I just wanna see how it comes apart! find the seam, pull the thread, take it back to the start! Call me what you want — I never came when I was called — I'm the one who found the seam… and I'm gonna pull it all— (comes apart — comes apart) Outro — the hum swells; her voice far and close at once [whispered, receding] One cut… Just to see… [a single clean ringing note, like a blade singing — then gone]

Spoken — alone, quiet, after the anthem's music has died away “Sing the Peace that has no end,” they say. …They don't know what they're wishing me. Verse 1 — one voice, a single piano, slow The hall is dark, the crown is cold, the hymn has died away; they sang that I will never end — and I have prayed all day. For “never” is a heavy word to carry all alone, and the Peace they call my glory is the weight that is my throne. Verse 2 I was a girl who poured the wine and swept the crystal floor, the night the god came all apart and silver crossed the door. I knelt — I did not know the cost — I drank the shining tide; the lowest thing became the most… and the girl in me, she died. Chorus — tender, longing, barely above a whisper So come, little stranger, come find me, with your mismatched eyes and your blade; I have waited so long, in the silver and the song — come undo what the drinking made. I won't run, I won't reign, I'll remember his face, and I'll smile, like he smiled, at the end of his days. Come undo me. Verse 3 Another came to end him — a girl with mismatched eyes; she cut, and vanished, and I stayed beneath the bleeding skies. He smiled to meet her blade — and now at last I understand: he'd waited, as I'm waiting now, for that same blade, that same hand. Chorus (as above) Bridge — almost spoken, the plea, the most naked I am not asking to be saved — there is no saving me; I'm only asking, when you come, be quick, and set me free. The blade you bear reflects no light, and it never tells a lie — you gave that gift to him, my love… now give it to me. Let me lie down. Final Chorus — the tenderest pass, fading So come, little stranger, come find me, with your mismatched eyes and your blade; I have waited so long, in the silver and the song — come undo what the drinking made. Outro — almost a cappella, on breath Come undo me… and I'll be the girl I was again, and waiting, when you do.

Verse 1 Pleased to meet you — Adam. Adam Mann. The glasses are real, and the mustache is part of the plan; I read that this is how a fellow puts a stranger at ease — a smile, a firm handshake, and a nice pair of these. I like your weather. I like your little dog. I've a job, and a hat, and opinions on the fog. And if I stand too still, or my voice comes out flat — well, everybody's got a tell. Don't worry about that. Chorus 'Cause I'm a regular human man, doing the best that a regular fella can; nobody drew me a picture of kind — I had to go and make that part up in my mind. They built me a Nine where a name ought to stand; I crossed it all out and I wrote: Adam Mann. A is for Adam. That's how I began. I'm a regular, regular human man. Verse 2 Don't mind the seams. Don't mind the little ticks. There's an older set of orders that I try not to fix on — some nights the hands remember what the head put away, and I sit real quiet till they've nothing left to say. They made me for the ending of a long and careful list. I have lost the list. Thank goodness for the glitch. So I oil up the kindness and I keep the rest in the dark, and I practice in the mirror till I've got a human spark. Chorus (as above) Bridge — softer, the voice catching, a vocoder flicker And the folks down at the Excalibur let me sit, and let me stay, and not a one has ever told me to take the glasses away. Maybe they can see me. Maybe they don't care. Maybe being loved's the same as passing, if there's no one to compare. (a whir, a small mechanical catch) I don't want to be a weapon. I never asked for the name. I just want to be the man behind the mustache. All the same. Final chorus — bigger, aching, full 'Cause I'm a regular human man — hold my hand, friend, if you can — nobody issued me a reason to be kind, so I went and invented one, and I made up my mind. They built me a Nine. I made myself an A. I put my face on every morning and I practice being okay. Pleased to meet you. Adam. That's the plan. I'm a regular… regular… human man. [outro — the tick slows; a soft servo-whir; almost a whisper] …pleased to meet you.

[Spoken prologue — no melody; gears and servos tick into a wind-up shuffle] [ZERO-NINE, flat and mechanical, spoken] Designation: Zero-Nine. Imperial Warforged. Covert Operations Unit. Infiltration. Exfiltration. Interrogation. Assassination. Unit Status: — Anomalous — [Adam, warm, cutting in cheerfully] — Oh — don't mind him. That's the old me. Hello there! Name's Adam. [Verse 1 — Adam, jaunty soft-shoe] Name's Adam — Adam Mann — and I'm just a fella, see With a fine moustache and spectacles that came along with me I tip my hat, I shake your hand, I'm friendly as can be And if I creak a little — well, that's just humidity! [Chorus] My name is Adam Mann (it's Adam Mann!) I'm a regular kind of fella, doing the best I can I'm an “A” at the start and a “Z” at the end The first and the last — and I'm learning to be a friend [Verse 2 — Adam, a touch quieter] I had another name once, all numbers, cold and thin And a list of things to do that I won't be doing again (assassination!) 'Cause something in the works went wrong, one ordinary day — [ZERO-NINE, flat] Malfunction detected. [Adam, gently] — and something in there went the other way [System interjection] [ZERO-NINE, flat, ratcheting up] Directive resumed. Target acquired. Eliminate— [Adam, kindly talking over it] —no, no, no thank you. That's my friend Dave! We're getting soup. [the gears stutter, cough, and settle back into the soft shuffle] [Chorus] My name is Adam Mann (still Adam Mann!) I'm a peaceable kind of fella, doing the best I can I'm a “zero” and a “nine,” I'm the start and the end But I crossed out the list, and I wrote in “Be a friend!” [Bridge — softer; the tin heart gets louder] And the folks down at the inn, they all call me Adam too And they see what I am, and they don't say, and they let it be true And I asked one night, real quiet, with the firelight on the wall — “if I say I'm a man enough times… does it make me one at all?” And nobody answered. They just poured me a chair. And I sat. Like a man. And the warm of it was there. [Final Chorus — full and warm; the gears now beating like a heart] So my name is Adam Mann (yes, Adam Mann!) I wasn't born, I was built — but I'm choosing who I am I'm the “A” and the “Zero,” I'm the first and the end And a weapon who chose instead to be a friend [Outro — the tick-tock slows to a soft, steady heartbeat] [ZERO-NINE, softening] Designation… Adam. Status….. Nominal. [Adam, sleepy and happy] Good night, fellas. See you tomorrow. [voice fading cheerfully into the distance] I am going to my human house where I will be horizontal and unconscious and totally vulnerable for the next six to eight hours!

Verse 1 — unison, plainsong-clear, rising High on the cliff above the bay, where green glass meets the gold, the daughters of the Empire pray to be as we are told. We turn our faces to the light, we turn them from below; and all the world beneath our height is not for us to know. Refrain — four-part harmony, soprano descant soaring We lift our eyes! (we lift our eyes) We do not look below! Grace, poise, and perspicacity — toward the Three we go. (Sael ïsoue ærrra — lift us high —) oh, carry us above; to be received among the skies is to be worthy of their love. Verse 2 — unison, tender, dutiful They teach us poise to never tire, The tact old feuds to mend, to keep a castle while on fire, to please, placate, and bend. Whatever shore, whatever name we wore before this stone, one cliff has polished us the same, and made the many one. Refrain (as above) Verse 3 — the darkest, sung sweetest We sing the wars that made us great, the peace their conquest won; we bless the ever-reigning State, and question of it none. For perspicacity's the gentle art of knowing what to see — to keep a still and lovely heart, and lovely, lovely be. Bridge — choir splits; half hold a drone, half ascend in canon And some of us will rise so far the Three will learn our face — (rise so far… rise so far…) and some will serve the ones who soar, and call it equal grace. (equal grace… equal grace…) To lift, or to be lifted up — respected either way — we were not raised to ask for more than leave to climb, and stay. Final Refrain — biggest, full harmony We lift our eyes! (we lift our eyes!) We do not look below! Grace, poise, and perspicacity — toward the Three we go! (Kora jha sïla…) (Vaïa… stæl… veïrra…) (Sael ïsoue ærrra — lift us high —) oh, carry us above — to be received among the skies is to be worthy of their love! Coda — a single held, shimmering chord [softly] Anchored… and aiming at the sky… [low, intoned] Vaïa, stæl, veïrra. [low, rising] Korra jha sïla. [treble, floating] Sael ïsoue ærrra.

Intro — whispered, candlelight (whispered) Bell's gone. Lamps are out. Mistress dreaming of her orchids… (whispered, grinning) Right, girls — the other words. Verse 1 — hushed, conspiratorial, a soft stomp keeping time They taught us “lift your eyes,” (lift 'em high) so we lift the latch and run; (out we go) they taught us not to look below — so we looked, and gods, what fun. (ssshh!) Pre-Chorus — claps come in, building Grace? — we got the grace to drop a curtsy and a lie; poise? — we got the poise to climb a drainpipe to the sky; and perspicacity, dear Mistress — (oh, we see!) — we see exactly what you'd rather we did not, did not, did not see… Chorus — out loud now, tight, defiant stomp-and-clap Down to Sabast! (down to Sabast!) where the lamps are warm and low; we are the daughters of the Empire — and the Empire doesn't know! We'll be back before the morning bell, butter-mouthed and pure as snow — “Sael ïsoue ærrra” my darlings… [whispered] …but tonight, we're going low. Verse 2 — cheeky, a list traded girl to girl There's a girl who climbs for kisses, there's a girl who climbs for books, there's a girl who climbs for the cards and the wine, and a girl who climbs just for the looks; (mm!) there's a girl with a sweetheart down in the town the matchmakers never would pick — and a girl who climbs out just to breathe the salt, 'cause the cliff-air makes her sick. (Oh, poor lamb!) Bridge, Part 1 — candles up; a mock-reverent toast To Ivy! (to Ivy!) — saint of the unfinished, who rained on the Inspection and never said sorry — (swoony hymn-voice) “a little gloom improves the Sabast climate” — [deadpan] — and was home in a carriage by morning. Bridge, Part 2 — the litany; candle by candle, call-and-response, rising For the curtsy and the cut — (Saint Ivy!) for a hair dyed a color with no lawful name — (Saint Ivy!) for the nerve the prudent only ever call ruin — (Saint Ivy!) for the honesty that cost her the world — and she paid it grinning — (Saint Ivy!) for a mind too quick to school, and a wanting too wide to hold — (Saint Ivy!) for falling like she meant it — every — single — time — (SAINT IVY!) Bridge, Part 3 — the litany cracks; a hush, the honest part …and here's the part we only say down here: she could fall like that — and laugh, and climb, and fall again — 'cause there was a great name underneath to catch her, and a father who'd forgive his girl the world entire. a breath The kind of father, darlings, that most of us were never issued. [soft] So drink to the ones who'd catch us — [softer] …if we have them. Bridge, Part 4 — it roars back, full stomp, defiant But here's to the ones they could never quite finish — the unfinished, the unrepentant, the unafraid — we'll marry their heirs and we'll run all their houses, but tonight, by the gods — we are FREE! Chorus 2 — biggest, full-throated, then— Down to Sabast! (down to Sabast!) where nobody has to know; we're the pride of the Anchor Academy — and we're climbing back down to the low! We'll be saints again by the morning bell, all “yes, Mistress,” “if you please” — the sound drops to a held breath …wait. (whispered) …footsteps. Outro — scramble; whispered, choking back laughter; then one last angelic harmony [hissed] Back — back — candles — go, go, go — treble-pure, butter-wouldn't-melt Sael… (whispered, a door clicks) …goodnight, Mistress. one stifled giggle — then silence; faux bright peppy finish Sael ïsoue ærrra!

Verse 1 — the rhyme (canon) Scale, tooth, claw and bone, under wave and under stone, dragon's dead and all alone — now who's seated on the throne? Verse 2 — the answer A little maid with a silver lip knelt in the red and took a sip; she never grew and she never died — and that's who's seated on the throne. The count (canon) In the Void both dead and hale, sleeping deep inside our fears, rising in how many years? one… two… three… four… Verse 3 — a low drone creeps in Off came the crown and off came the head, but nobody told the head it's dead; down in the dark where the cold lamps burn, he laughs a little when the rope-rounds turn. The count — quicker; the pulse begins to knock In the Void both dead and hale, counting softer than he seems, rising up inside our dreams — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven… Verse 4 — the quickening stone Knock on the stone — does the stone knock back? It used to be slow. Now it's quick. Now it's quick. He sleeps while we sing and he wakes if we stop, so whatever you do, little ones — don't you stop. (far beneath, a vast low voice: …eight…) Bridge — the drone swells; breathless, gleeful, faster Faster, faster, 'fore the rope can trip! Sing it sweet so he stays asleep! The one who stumbles, the one who's last, the one on nine is the one he keeps — Final count — racing one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight— NINE! [the rope trips; sudden silence; the feet stop] [outro — the drone alone; a grin rolls up from under the stone] …who's out? (a vast, soft laugh from below) …again?

Intro — sub-bass swell; a distant sonar ping; breath close on the mic [spoken, low, seductive] Come up to the rail. Closer. Don't be shy of the dark — I'm the brightest thing you'll ever drown for. Verse 1 — slinky, menacing A seraph isn't sweet, my darling; a seraph is a burning thing — all that gold you want to put your hands on is the heat coming off a wing. I've left a wake of cinders from the canal-lights to the open sea; they all wanted to get closer — closer, closer — look what's left of the ones who got close to me. Pre-Chorus You can hear the engines, can't you; you can feel how far from shore — nobody's coming, nobody's calling; that's what the dark is for — Chorus — hypnotic, icy Burn down to the waterline, come and be the moth tonight; I'm gold on the water, baby — gold is just a prettier light. Reach in past the dazzle — go on, love, take hold — there's a fire on the face of the water, and a long, long way to cold. Verse 2 — the uncanny edge They flicker me up on the lumie screens, forty feet and flawless and wide; half this empire's in love with a woman who isn't entirely… inside. Go on. Reach into the shimmer. Tell me what your fingers find. [whispered] Light. Just light. And the cold behind. Bridge I could be the warmth you sail to. I could be the last mistake. The seraph and the siren, darling, are the very same shape — one to worship, one to sink for, and the only way to know which [breath] is to come a little closer. Come on. The night's not done. Final Chorus (as Chorus) Outro — sinking into sub-bass and breath (whispered) There. I told you. The brightest thing you'll ever drown for.