Deano Cipriani

> *"You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You"*
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> -Cipriani's signature quote, and title of one of his Dean Martin cover songs
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## Introduction

**Deano Cipriani** is a Frenkish performer, active from 2126 up until the present, where he is currently regarded as one of the most significant of the modern age. Born the son of Italian immigrants from the European Federation, Deano was interested in music and performing from an early age, taking inspiration from old world greats and those who followed in the modern era, including Hal Johnston (who Deano cited as his biggest inspiration).

## Background

Born to reasonably well-off Italian immigrants in 2109, Deano led a thrillseeking childhood, taking up various activities, such as boxing and urban exploration. After seeing Johnston on the holovision, he reportedly caught his interest in music, and moved to imitate him. Developing a signature, intimate style that even Johnston couldn't possess, he was discovered fairly early on, and often sang on street corners.

## Career

Singing in nightclubs by the time he was 16, Deano often opened up for older performers with Hal Johnston covers or oldies from Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra. Often bringing in more money than his supposed "headliners", Deano was offered to accompany another performer to Hollywoodland to attend a scheduled hearing regarding a recording deal. Though this performer wasn't hired, Deano was, and at 18, was exceptionally young considering the prestige of the studio.

Due to his unique personality and charm, Deano enjoyed skyrocketing success, and was soon performing alongside other noted performers, such as Paps Miller. This eventually led him to perform alongside his inspiration, Hal Johnston, in 2130 to a World City audience. Due to Johnston's presence and the large audience, Deano suffered a nervous fit, and could be heard stuttering throughout. However, instead of criticize or belittle Deano, Johnston turned it into a makeshift comedy skit, eventually calming the young man down with a drink from an audience member. Deano cited that night as the "great turning point" of his career, and Johnston would later recall that as one of his favorite shows.

While Deano's success only grew in the coming decades (accolades including being signed on to his own holovision show, *The Deano Cipriani Show,* which continues to this day as one of the most popular, and being a member of the "Russian Cabal", an elite circle of Frenkish performers given the honor of performing in Mecharussia. Others in the Cabal include Hal Johnston and Paps Miller), he would eventually hit a slump in 2143, shortly after hearing of Johnston's death in the Ten Years' War. Becoming extremely reclusive in his mourning of his idol, the world nearly forgot about Deano, as his normally-prolific nature in public life was gone for nearly a year. He even declined to perform alongside Paps Miller in Johnston's World City memorial service. However, in 2144, he would once again return to the public, first appearing as a guest star in a Paps Miller-headed event commemorating Johnston a year after his death. Reportedly, police had to be called in to contain the crowd's excitement. Afterwards, he was soon back on track to regaining his lost fame, and by 2152, he was more popular than ever before.

Aside from his prolific career as a singer and performer, Deano is a noted actor, and has held many leading roles in Hollywoodland. His first major film was 2136's *Westwood*, a neo-western where Deano played a travelling saloon singer, and (later) a gunslinging vigilante on the Martian Frontier. Others include *Last Train to Ronto* (2142) and *The Jumpin' Japooza!* (2148). However, as an actor, his most prolific film was easily 2138's *Canal Town,* alongside Natalie Northwood and his idol Hal Johnston. Along with Johnston, Deano's character is involved in a love triangle with Natalie Northwood's character (stirring a bit of controversy due to the age difference; Natalie was 18 at the time, Deano was 29, and Hal was 53) in the chaos of the later years of the chaotic Canal War. In the film, Natalie is captivated by the rogue, playboy Deano, who owns a nightclub in Canal Town, and is rumored to be a smuggler running goods to the "oppressed peoples' of South America". However, it turns complicated when Hal's character (a major book publisher looking to publish a story on Deano's life) shows up and charms Natalie with his sentimental, fatherly charm. Deano's in-film performance of the beloved As Time Goes By is often regarded as the most treasured recording of the 22nd century.

## Flight of the *Polunochnaya*

In 2152, after the discovery that the Mechanocratic vessel MSS *Polunochnaya*was launched, the Imperial Government collaborated with the foreign powers and the Sidhae diplomatic mission to bring the ship back home before it caused irreparable damage to Earth-Sidhae relations. It was eventually decided that a lone Asimov battlecarrier, the FIS *Isaac Asimov*, would be fitted with a warp drive and would undergo quick upgrades to it's stealth suite and armament to pursue and eventually intercept Elena Trotskaya in deep space. With word quickly spreading that the Empire would be leading an expedition into deep, interdimensional space, society became elated at the prospect, and millions wanted to turn the so-called "Great Expedition" into an elaborate affair. With the elite of the Frenkish entertainment industry successfully bargaining with the Imperial Military to host an event centered around it, Deano's Hollywoodland studio was given access to one of the prototype warp communications device, allowing it to transmit to the Asimov dimensions away.

As such, it was decided that the most elaborate televised event in history would be hosted by Deano, and feature a star-studded cast to entertain the crew and foreign dispatch aboard the *Asimov.* Utilizing one of the on-board virtual reality decks of the ship, the ship's passengers would be the virtual "guests" of the show, being entertained by the various comedians and musicians for a non-stop broadcast. Acts would include Deano himself, Paps Miller, various synth-a-likes of treasured performers (among them the Mills Brothers, Chuck Berry, Hal Johnston, and the Andrews' Sisters), and a myriad of special guest appearances. While the intended audience aboard the *Asimov* received the broadcast, it was also picked up all over Sidh space, much to the locals' confusion.

## Trivia

* Deano Cipriani is obviously based off of 20th-century legend Dean Martin. Like Martin, Cipriani has Italian heritage, and is known for his smooth, intimate routine and style. He also has elements of other associated acts of Martin, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Dick Powell.