This issue is what happens when all those writing a story are issued the challenge to kick things off in exactly the same way, using the following prompt.
***
The drum solo that kicked off Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" came over the tinny speakers and Armitage Shanks found his feet involuntarily tapping upon the metallic floor.
He lit a cigarette and broke out the air drums, a musical instrument of which he was an absolute master, and pounded them harder than the hooker he'd picked up at the last fuel stop.
It seemed so long ago, but then again when one was flying solo on a cargo vessel several years into deep space—a monotonous run broken only by the infrequent privately owned space stations and refuelling rigs—everything seemed so long ago and very, very far away.
"Oi!" he shouted out, annoyed that the vessel's computer system had taken it upon itself to stop the track just before it was halfway through. That annoyance dissipated quickly, though, when Armitage realized the reason for the abrupt halt to one of his favourite pieces of classical music was a sounding alarm.
"Ah," he said quietly, pausing only to puff heavily upon the cigarette. "Bugger."
***
So sit back, put up your feet and prepare yourself for a story or two, or three or four, that are all very, very different!
