by Laura Kaighn
Bending to take the weapon, Vesarius nodded his thanks. He swung the scabbard up over his head. The strap slipped onto his shoulder and across his chest with its gleaming medallion. Then the commander snapped to attention, faced the door and saluted his guests as the wedding march trumpeted.
Everyone tracked the Vesar’s gaze. Jonas stepped inside dressed in a formal uniform with its gold braid and shimmering black epaulettes. But the woman hooked on the Italian engineer’s escorting arm was who everyone noticed. Coty heard his own breath catch in restrained anticipation.
Gliding forward, the bride flowed pure silk the color of sunlit turquoise. Her gown undulated in fluid waves as she approached the pulpit. Dorinda dominated the hall as the sun on a cumulus summer day. She was the sky, as radiant in her long sleeved gown as any fairy tale princess. Her crown of fiery hair was gathered at her shoulders in a loose braid replete with a cobalt bow laced in silver. Around Dorinda’s neck, a delicate filigreed chain clasped a glistening diamond tear to her throat. Encircling her wrist, the Navajo pledge bracelet shone its silver feathers accompanied by sky-blue and sea-green turquoise.
Dorinda’s emerald eyes were downcast before her groom. She slowed her steps to the pulpit then leaned aside to kiss Jonas on the cheek before releasing her escort’s arm. The engineer blushed an olive glow. Jonas then winked Vesarius’ way and settled into a front row seat on the groom’s side. As the other guests followed suit, Coty stood at the podium, his gaze intent upon the sky vision before him.
Dorinda extended one slender hand to grasp her groom’s in a contrasting pale to dark clasp of sincere affection. Then she raised her eyes to her lover. Coty witnessed the Vesar’s stare transfix in dilated awe then relax to ebony velvet. Perhaps they too understood the magnitude of this moment.
It was time for him to speak before his seated guests. Michael Bear Coty cleared his throat quietly and gathered his thoughts.
“Since the era of wooden sailing vessels exploring the vast uncharted seas,” he began, “each ship’s captain has had the privilege of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony. To assist in the pledge of two lives sharing one.”
Coty paused, his eyes scanning the assembly for dissenters and tear drops. There seemed neither, though Yolonda held a dreamy look in her crystal blue gaze. “Before this assembly stand two people who have disregarded race, culture and even centuries to fall in love. Their bond is stronger than affection. Dorinda and Vesarius have both survived the hardships and trials their differences have caused them.
“Their love is not one of body ... or even of mind. Though as opposite in culture and appearance as is evident here, they have discovered their most important similarity. They are kindred spirits. They share souls which have withstood loss and loneliness, souls that have now triumphed in the discovery of each other.” Coty paused to breathe in the weight of his words.
“Dorinda Tanner was once a citizen of the twentieth century. Now, I am proud to announce, she has been granted citizenship of the twenty-second.” A few happy inhales and congratulatory comments sprinkled about the crowd. Coty did not specify the terms of the citizenship, however, nor state its probationary status. This was Dorinda’s day to shine. “She has adapted to this new reality, indeed excelled at confronting more wondrous and daring circumstances than her previous life. We all have Dorinda Jade to thank for the return of the Pompeii, and the foiling of the Orthop plan to begin a new colony at Alliance expense.”
Coty paused again and caught Dorinda’s blushing gaze. He had not informed her of the full content of this wedding service. Dorinda was only familiar with the sermon and wedding vows. But Bear Coty knew that this moment would someday be a bright spot in Alliance history – the first true sign of Vesar acceptance and the crumbling of a half-century of distrust and guilt. The Pompeii’s recorder was even now documenting the entire proceeding for posterity.
Major General Chan would no doubt analyze this ceremony with the scrutiny indicative of a military leader reviewing battle footage. Perhaps this event would even illicit the attention of Grand Chancellor Miratmonni Tlendt of Tlonnis, himself.
With a deep inhale, Bear Coty continued his discourse now glancing at his first officer who found it difficult to extract his gaze from the sky vision beside him. “Cmdr. Tankawankanyi, too, has shown his valor in service to the Alliance. Since accepting his commission onboard the Pompeii, he’s demonstrated an unending loyalty to this ship and her crew.” Coty glanced about the room scanning the assembly for any sarcastic snickers or angry retorts. It seemed any attendant crew withheld their reservations regarding the Vesar’s recent mutiny. “Though a pariah to his people, Vesarius has placed his life before ours, honored our lives as his own, and shown a tenacity for survival far beyond even what his own people expected. Now, he is lonely no longer.”
Relaxing into a slow smile, Coty added, “I can think of no two people who better deserve to be together. To share their future as soulmates, never again to be separate, or apart, or alone. These two, Dorinda Tanner-Jade and Cmdr. Tankawankanyi, wish to formalize their relationship in both human and Vesar tradition. So, without any further delay,” Coty announced waving a hand at his Vesar friend, “let us begin.”
Stepping back slightly from the podium to give the audience the illusion of his own exit, Coty watched Vesarius nod and drop his hand from Dorinda’s ivory grasp. Then, whirling to face her, Vesarius first bowed deeply to his bride, who watched with expectant eyes. He next reached back to draw the hardened-steel broadsword from its leather sheath. In one swift twisting movement, the glistening blade sailed down between them to rest upon the Vesar’s hip. Gasping, Dorinda remained silently watchful as, with a brisk lunge, Vesarius sank to one knee, the sword flat in both outstretched hands before her.
“Dorinda,” Vesarius said with lowered head, “I ask if you might bond with me ... to be my mate for all the life and honor within my warrior heart. If you so wish it, simply take the sword of my father as answer. If you do not, leave me now, so that I may render its power upon myself in defeat.”
Coty knew Dorinda was unfamiliar with many Vesar customs. Vesarius would not have explained this ritual to her. For, if she refused him, his father’s sword would inflict a serious wound upon the warrior’s chest in echo of his crippled soul. The ritual mutilation would seem cruel punishment to a human, but the self-inflicted slash was a millennium-old symbol of unworthiness and shame. The resultant scar would be a constant reminder of needed devotion and improved fidelity. A Vesar’s bonding request was never initiated without serious forethought. Vesarius had done so, proved himself worthy, and he rose to his boots again when Dorinda gingerly gathered the sword offered her.
Obsidian eyes sparkling, Vesarius nodded once and retrieved the sword from Dorinda’s hesitant grasp. With another swift twist of steel, the ornamental weapon was replaced in its scabbard. Vesarius then snapped to attention and declared to the assembly, “As you are my witnesses, she has accepted.”
Coty felt a sudden urge to clap as he was sure several others did. But the ritual was an unfamiliar one, and the captain refrained from the inclination. Yolonda Sheradon had no such misgivings. She whooped loudly and commenced a rapid hand beating. The doctor quickly stalled at Vesarius’ twisted grin and promptly blushed a vibrant pink against her cobalt gown.
When Coty saw Vesarius relax and again gather up Dorinda’s hand, he stepped once more to the podium. The Vesar set his gaze to his captain and nodded slightly. Coty echoed that nod and readdressed the gathering. “Fellow Pompeii crew. In the tradition of shipmasters throughout the galaxy, I am here to officiate the joining of two people in the bonds of matrimony. As we stand here today among the stars, and in witness of the Great Creator, these two are to pledge their love and their lives together.”
Coty lowered his eyes to consider the woman before him. “Dorinda Jade. Do you promise to take Brune as your life partner, to cherish his company, to stand beside him through peril and prosperity? To care for him, and best
ow upon him all the compassion and strength of character which are your gifts?”
The captain watched Dorinda’s ivory cheeks glow slightly. Her dreamy emerald sight shifted from him to the taller Vesar beside her. “I promise,” she lilted. “As God is my witness.”
With a slight chin bob, Coty switched his address to the darker alien standing beside the sky vision. “Cmdr. Tankawankanyi, do you promise to take Dorinda as your life partner, to cherish her company, to stand beside her through peril and prosperity? To care for her, and to bestow upon her all the compassion and strength of character which are your gifts?”
Eyes simmering coals, Vesarius turned to his bride with a squared chin and declared, “As Brahmanii Sule is my creator, I vow it, upon my honor.”
Raising his eyes again to the assembled onlookers, Coty asked, “You have heard their vows. Is there anyone among you who believes these two citizens should not be joined in marriage? If so, speak now or forever keep private your dissent.” Cringing inwardly, the captain waited for the dissent to arise. It didn’t. And after another few silent seconds he released his held breath. “Then,” Coty said, “I would like to ask Dorinda forward to present a special gift to her groom.”
Dorinda smiled blushingly. She dropped her slender hand from Vesarius’ mahogany grasp. With one sweeping movement, Dorinda stepped forward to the podium and leaned around to extract an object from the cubby on Coty’s side. The captain watched Vesarius’ lips pucker in sudden recognition as Dorinda handed him a new, unblemished, and ornately carved Vesar flute.
“My pledge gift to you, Vesarius,” Dorinda said so that everyone could hear. The Vesar cradled the instrument gently, as if an infant, within his muscled arm. “Kokopelli was the ancient flute player and storyteller who brought hope and prosperity throughout the North American southwest,” his bride explained. “You are the Pompeii’s storyteller, traveling across the galaxy. To many cultures, music is a medium which transcends the language barrier. My wish is for this flute to help transcend the cultural barriers between our people. A symbol of understanding, joy and peace.” Dorinda took one graceful step sideways to return to her former position beside her mate. Hand retaking her groom’s, her eyes slowly drifted back to their captain.
“Before the Creator, you will repeat these words,” Coty instructed the bride. “I, Dorinda Jade, do so vow ...”
Dorinda’s golden-green gaze was upon her groom, locked with his velvet coal stare. Coty could almost hear their pulsing hearts pumping in chorded time. “I, Dorinda Jade, do so vow ...”
“To protect and defend, to nurture and guard ...” Coty said.
“To protect and defend, to nurture and guard ...” she echoed.
“To hold chaste and sincere ...”
“To hold chaste and sincere ...”
“Through hardships and vises, sickness and health ...”
Dorinda’s voice was quiet, yet the seriousness in her tone carried far beyond the room. “Through hardships and vises, sickness and health...”
“Through frailties and faults as long as you both shall live.”
With a slow nod Dorinda agreed. “Through frailties and faults as long as we both shall live.”
Turning to the groom, Coty watched Vesarius lean his bonding gift against the podium before repeating his request. “Before the Creator, you will repeat these words. I, Cmdr. Tankawankanyi, do so vow ...”
Vesarius’ obsidian gaze bore into his bride’s. There was a smoldering commitment in his voice that made Dorinda visibly shiver. “I, Cmdr. Tankawankanyi, do so vow, upon my honor ...”
“To protect and defend, to nurture and guard ...”
“To protect and defend, to nurture and guard ...”
Coty watched Dorinda swallow. A single tear slalomed along her ivory cheek. “To hold chaste and sincere ...”
Vesarius gently reached forward, eyes still locked upon Dorinda’s glassy gaze. With his mahogany thumb, he wiped the moisture away then caressed her cheek in a feathery touch of tenderness. “To hold chaste and sincere ...”
“Through hardships and vises, sickness and health ...” Coty continued.
“Through hardships and vises, sickness and health ...”
“Through frailties and faults as long as you both shall live.”
Vesarius, too, agreed with a slight nod and a gentle swing of his slender braid. “Through frailties and faults as long as we both shall live.”
“Then it is my pleasure and privilege,” Coty announced to the gathering, “to proclaim you ... husband and wife.”
Yolonda released an audible sigh as several heartfelt exhalations echoed about the assemblage. Zaneta sniffled slightly; Noah twittered lowly. Tundra, seated beside his Bondmate, simply reached up a paw to rest it upon the Vesar’s leather-clad leg. As the audience watched expectantly, both Dorinda and Vesarius raised their free hands, placing them upon each other’s sternum. No doubt Dorinda’s heart was pounding beneath that light mahogany touch. Then, leaning forward above those hands, the couple pressed impassioned lips together in a human kiss, an exchange of affection and finality. Now they could outwardly share what their hearts had inwardly yearned for: the freedom to love.
Suddenly the room reverberated with the staccato smacks of congratulatory palms, several members of the attending crew standing in turn to offer their compliments. Coty, too, submitted to his urge while the lovers embraced in a joyful hug topped with another compassionate kiss.
So. It was final. Dorinda was Brune’s, and Coty was alone ... again. A chilling darkness seeped into Michael Bear Coty’s granite heart. He suddenly felt old, apathetic. As the lovers turned together, arm-in-arm, to retrace their steps up the aisle, the captain simply stepped back from the podium to watch. Frowning, he berated his foolish self-pity. Coty had always wanted Vesarius to be happy. Why, then, was he downtrodden now that he had gotten his wish? The captain only sighed in answer of his silent questions and plodded forward to follow Moxland and Zaneta along the aisle to receive their guests. With a proud smile, Yolonda hooked onto his arm to stroll with him.
Within the hour, each guest was enjoying an elaborate meal of broiled fish, sirloin tips, fresh salads, and various other side dishes and breads. From the semicircular head table, Coty sat beside Dorinda and leaned forward to get his first officer’s attention from her other side. “I remember that time,” he said with a grin. “We had to bodily drag Moxie from that spice miner. He was a charismatic fellow all right, but I wasn’t about to lose the best communications officer in the fleet.” Coty paused to think. “His name was Ransom, Ransom Quade.”
“That was the one,” Vesarius agreed one hand clasping his bride’s between them. “Quade thought he could claim Moxland and buy you out, Bear. He wanted the Pompeii for spice transport.”
Coty flinched. “He never said anything to me about that. The Pompeii was never listed for sale.”
“Well, it is your ship, Bear,” Jonas attested from beside Yolonda, on Coty’s right. “And at the time, the Pompeii wasn’t officially registered as a fleet vessel, just an Alliance supply ship. You could have sold her.”
“Well, I never would’ve sold her to Ransom Quade. I still think he was a pirate. Strellis salt’s still more precious than gold on some colony worlds. He would’ve made a fortune at it.”
“He’s probably retired by now,” Jonas asserted, “and living high-on-a-dtrumbie. Or else dead.” Several agreed to the latter.
Coty settled into silence as the conversation drifted away from him once more. Moxland was giggling blushingly as Sam Waters kidded with her and Zaneta at the far end of the horseshoe. Jonas was doting over Dorinda as Yolonda asked Vesarius something about cabin rearrangements. It wasn’t until an hour later, when dessert was to be served, that the captain was again at the center of anyone’s attention.
The bosun’s whistle sounded in the observation lounge. Abruptly everyone grew quiet. The laughing stopped, and all thirty-some guests and the other six at the head table turned their ey
es to Coty. Hesitantly, the captain exchanged a raised brow and self-conscious glance with his first officer. Vesarius only shrugged. Coty then looked across the table to no one in particular and answered the call. “This is the captain.”
“Captain, this is maintenance,” came a young man’s hesitant reply. He obviously didn’t want to interrupt the festivities.
“Go ahead, Derek.”
“Well, Sir, we’ve got a blockage in one of the main air vents, near your location. I need your permission to get a crew down there to clear it.” The man sounded apologetic.
“Of course, Derek. Don’t worry about the reception here. If you get too noisy, we’ll just raise our volume.” The Pompeii’s maintenance was always top priority, especially the vessel’s circulation system. “You have my permission to make repairs.”
“Yes, Sir.” There was a distinct click, and the public address system shut off. Silence lingered in the observation lounge, however.
Had the interruption distracted everyone’s conversations and gaiety? Coty was about to say something when he heard a hollow groan from overhead. Then there was a deep, metallic pop and a sudden muffled whoosh of air. With only the slightest breeze tickling his black forelocks, Coty was suddenly surrounded by a delicate drizzle.
While the assembled guests watched, a shower of colorful, circular confetti fluttered down from the air vent directly above Coty’s head. To the captain’s additional surprise, everyone began to sing “Happy Birthday”. Michael Coty could only sit and cringe good-naturedly through the affair. But it was not until the shower increased to a downpour that the display became really impressive.
Upon the table, around Coty’s bare place-setting, the confetti started mountaining in a semi-circle of multi-colored paper. The guests sang again, in fact never ceased their caroling until the skies cleared and a rainbow was evident before them.
“That was a sudden storm,” Vesarius observed, and many guests laughed. Coty, too, chortled and leaned back in his chair to shake the confetti from his dark hair and shoulders.