“This is her son, Vikram,” Frank said, gesturing the lad over.
Vikram came overand shook John’s offered hand, eyes wide. Heedged over to Frank when John let go.
“You guys getcaught up,” Luna said, reminding them that they were still on acall. “We’ll set up a space here on the Mousefor the ceremony.”
Before John couldthink to say anything, they were gone. So much for a smallwedding, he thought.
SmallCeremony
The Mouse,Ragnarok High Orbit
Luna took a moment tocompose herself. She knew the flutter she felt in her chest wouldfind its way into her words and then both she and Trisha would becrying.
She took a deep breath.“You look so beautiful!” she managed. “The dress fits you somuch better. I only had a few hours on Earth to pick it and no timefor any detailed alterations.
“It was alittle loose on me in certain key areas but it looks like it was madefor you.”
“Oh, I’m abundle of nerves right now!” Trisha looked anxiously at Luna.“Can’t we just start now? I mean go out there right now and sendsomeone to drag Frank to the platform?”
Luna took in a sharpbreath, one hand on her throat. “Good lord, woman, even as freakedout as you are, you look like a goddess! You need to see foryourself. Holo mirror.” She waved her hand to indicate the plane ofreflection.
Trisha stared ata holographic copy of herself.“You know, italmost…”
A chime sounded.Luna checked the security feed and opened the door for LakshmiKawle.
“As I thought,”she said primly. “You look lovely but the dress is nearly purewhite! We need a littlecolor.” She unfolded a length of yellow silk, brocadedwith fine needlework.
“The others couldn’tcome because they would have missed the ceremony while trudging backto their platforms.” She stepped over to Trisha and held up thefabric, an eyebrow raised questioningly.
Luna held out ahand and helped drape it overthe bride’s shoulder.
“The others?”Trisha asked.
Lakshmi arranged thesilk over Trisha’s arm. “Yes. All the other ladies contributedsomething to the original owner of this silk.” She nodded toherself. “That looks much better!”
“All…”
The chairman’swife looked up, smiling. “Yes, all of us. Whatbetter start to our life on Ragnarok than to share in the happinessof a new couple?”
“Oh!” She pulledout a kerchief from somewhere and dabbed gently at Trisha’s eyes.“Now don’t get worked up, Dear you’ll make a mess of yourmakeup!”
Sushil grinned. “Relax,Frank. It’s a wedding, not an execution!”
“I know,” hesaid, though he was stillpacing back and forth across the small room. “It’s just, youcan’t help but wonder if she’s going to come to her senses andcall it off at the last minute.”
“Come to hersenses?” Terry exclaimed. “Dammit, Boss,you’re one of the smartest folks I know but there’s times youmake me look like Albert freaking Einstein!”
Sushil grunted, thoughhis meaning was unclear.
“She’s a smartwoman,” Terry insisted, “and she knows a good man when she seesone.”
“I’ll probably tripover my own feet or forget how to talk…”
“And an hourfrom now, you’ll still be her husband,” Terry said firmly. “Maybetaking advice about how to act from a guy who’s been arrested forpublic urination is a bad idea but, I’mtelling you, this whirlwind will all be over in a few minutes and youcan relax and enjoy the festivities.”
“Terry is correct,”Sushil said, sounding more than a little surprised. “Nothing to benervous about…”
A chime sounded andLuna’s voice was transmitted into the room. “Is everybody decentin there?”
“Yes,” Sushilanswered.
The door snappedopen, far faster than they were used to on the Kuphar,and their lady entered, wearing a blue dress. “We’realmost ready,” she told them, giving Frank a nod of approval. Sherapped a knuckle against his chest-plate.
“Formal armorpattern looks verygood on you, Frank. I’d better stay close to her, just in case shefalls into a swoon at the sight of you!” she exclaimed, pressingthe back of her hand to her forehead dramatically.
Frank couldn’t helpbut laugh. “A swoon? What are you, a big romance reader? Toughfighter pilot like you?”
“You laugh,”she said sweetly, “but wait till you walk out there and see her. Iwore that same dress a few days ago and I wishI could have looked half as good in it as she does right now.”
“You loaned her yourdress?” Frank asked. He’d figured she would have worn her nicestoutfit. Then again, he hadn’t expected to get married in a suit ofhigh-tech formal armor either.
Andnow the nerves, lessened somewhat by Luna’s arrival, were back. Theidea of how Trisha would look in her dress, and he had every reasonto believe Luna on this, was making his knees a little wobbly. Hedropped his backside into a chair.
“It’s more like agift to the colony,” she said. “One day, your descendants willhave a museum in Ragnarok’s planetary capital. The dress of thevery first lady of our people and the first wedding of the colonywill make a nice exhibit.”
The door snapped openagain and John came in. “Sorry I’m late. Just a few last-minutedetails that needed wrapping up.”
He raised an eyebrow atLuna. “Did you know your old pal, Hennessy, used to be a pastor?They’d already asked him – ship’s captain and all that, buthe’s an honest to goodness pastor.”
Luna stared at him,mouth slowly falling open. “You’re not fooling, are you?Thruster?” She stared right through John. “Now that I think aboutit, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the man cussing. He’s led afairly clean existence, as far as fighter pilots go…”
“Why does that notsound like a five-star, ringing endorsement of his character?”John asked wryly.
She snorted. “Iknew hewas on deck for theceremony but… Thrustera man of the cloth...”
“He’s already onthe platform, next to your husband.”
“Then let’s getthese two married before their heads explode.” She headed for thedoor. “We’re going to move the second I’m back with her, so beready.”
She left and the doorsnapped shut. Another dull clang heralded her arrival in Trisha’schamber.
Frank looked to hisleft but the source of the strange new waterfall sound was somewherebeyond the walls. He forgot about it because John was now marshalingthe men in the room, lining them up on Frank’s left side.
His brother was juststepping into his place on Frank’s immediate left when the flooraround the
