by DuBoff, Amy
The High Commander placed the chalice back on the pedestal. “You have demonstrated your connection to Tararia’s past, and now you will seal your place with its future.”
Cris rose from his seat in the front row, carrying a small tablet in a leather case embossed with the Sietinen Dynasty crest. “As heir to the Sietinen Dynasty, I declare you and your future children my successors. Do you accept this responsibility?”
“I do,” Wil murmured simultaneously with Saera.
Cris held up the tablet, projecting two beams of purple light underneath—one tuned to the frequency of the High Dynasties, and the other to that of the Lower Dynasties. Wil pulled up his left sleeve to expose his Mark under the appropriate beam, and Saera turned over her wrist to show hers. The screen on the tablet lit up with the serpent crest of Sietinen and the broadleaf tree of Alexri.
“Your commitment has been recorded and ratified,” Cris stated. “The Dynasties of Sietinen and Alexri are now joined.”
Wil and Saera took each other’s hands again as Cris returned to his seat.
Invisible to all but the Agents in the audience, Banks then wove a telekinetic ribbon around Wil’s and Saera’s hands, reflecting the bond that would always bind them.
When the telekinetic lacing was in place, he looked to Wil. “Do you take Saera to be your wife, your partner in life, and your one true love? Will you cherish your union, trust and respect her through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles you may face together? Will you give your hand, your heart, and your love, from this day forward in service to each other and to Tararia?”
Wil nodded, looking into Saera’s eyes. “I do.”
Banks turned to Saera and repeated the lines for taking Wil as her husband.
Saera beamed. “I do!”
The High Commander released the telekinetic binding from around their hands, leaving their skin tingling. “May I have the rings?” he asked Michael.
Michael retrieved the rings from his pocket and dropped them in Banks’ outstretched hand. Banks then handed Wil the ring for Saera.
“Wil, please place this ring on Saera’s finger and repeat after me: Saera, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you, no matter what we may face.”
Wil slipped the wedding band onto her finger in front of the engagement ring. “Saera, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you, no matter what we may face.”
“Saera, please place this ring on Wil’s finger and repeat after me: Wil, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you, no matter what we may face.”
Saera slid the wedding band onto Wil’s finger. “Wil, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you, no matter what we may face.”
Banks smiled. “You have made your marriage vows to one another, witnessed by your friends and family. You have sealed your vows to uphold your duties to Tararia. So now, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss!”
Wil pulled Saera in for a kiss as the audience erupted in applause and cheers.
They separated from the kiss, grinning at each other as they savored the moment.
Saera took her bouquet back from Elise and they strode back down the aisle hand-in-hand. The Primus Elites, seated toward the back of the audience, whistled and clapped louder as Wil and Saera passed by.
“We’re married!” Saera exclaimed as soon as they were in the dining area out of earshot from the guests. She stared down at the additional band on her finger.
“I know! I can hardly believe it.” Wil’s new ring felt strange on his finger.
“I had finally gotten used to saying ‘fiancé.’ Now it’ll be ‘husband.’”
“And ‘wife.’ Wow.”
Their eyes met and they laughed.
Conversation filled the concourse as guests began to rise from their chairs.
“They’ll be expecting us to play hosts, I suppose,” Wil said with a nod toward the approaching group.
“We’ll get some time just for us later.” Saera pulled him in for one more kiss. “Now, let’s go show everyone what the TSS is all about.”
CHAPTER 24
Cocktail hour was well underway by the time Cris was able to grab a drink for himself. And after a talk with his parents, a drink was very much in order.
“What’ll it be?” asked the bartender, a shorter man with a wholesome face and graying hair.
“What would you recommend for taking the edge off without messing with my head too much?”
“Your best bet is probably pomoliquor,” the bartender replied, “but it can sneak up on you.”
“That, please.” Really, Cris would have accepted anything, but he at least recognized that liquor by name.
“Something troubling you?” The bartender handed Cris a miniature fluted glass filled with a deep red liquid.
“Only the fate of Taran civilization.” Cris took the drink from him.
The bartender frowned, seemingly unsure if the statement was a joke or not.
Cris brushed it off with a smile and sipped his drink—hints of dark fruit with just the right amount of bite. “Thanks for this.” He saluted the bartender with the glass. Now to find Kate.
He spotted his wife across the room still engaged in conversation with her brother, Kaiden.
Cris took a gulp of the drink, draining the glass to half-full. He put on his best smile and walked over to them. “Hello! Not talking too much business, I hope?” Except that’s exactly what we want to do.
Kate smiled coyly. “Only catching up. Kaiden was just commenting on all the familiar faces in attendance.”
“That’s not surprising. Everyone’s a relative if you go back far enough,” Cris pointed out.
Kate nodded. “If you really think about it, just a handful of the people in this room control more of the most critical infrastructure for all of Taran society. SiNavTech and VComm have complete authority over transportation and telecommunications—”
“Well, the Priesthood always has final authority over what’s said,” Cris interjected.
Kaiden didn’t flinch with the statement. In fact, he gave the hint of a nod.
He passed the first test. “Add in the connection to Talsari for TalEx’s ore mining operations and MPS’ power generation headed by Monsari, everything except for food and home-goods is covered.”
“We control the future, when it comes down to it,” Kate emphasized. “We have the power to shape Taran society.”
“Not without a moral compass to guide us,” Kaiden cautioned.
Cris raised an eyebrow. “Like the Priesthood?”
Kaiden shifted on his feet. “Or some entity.”
So he’s not in their pocket. “I sometimes wonder if having one organization with absolute authority is best for the people. I mean, you’ve seen some of the TSS now, Kaiden. Is this what the Priesthood led you to believe about us?”
“I can’t say it is, no,” he replied.
Cris went in for the kill. “It makes you wonder what else might be miscommunicated by always running through the same filter. As the communications hub for Tarans, I’d think that would be bad business for VComm to be party to disseminating unreliable information.”
Kaiden’s brow furrowed. The statement had caught him off-guard, but it was dead-on and he knew it. “We always strive to be as open and unbiased as possible.”
“Of course,” Kate said with exaggerated sincerity. “As is our duty to our people. And we would be remiss if we didn’t remain flexible and adaptive as new information and circumstances come to light.”
“Yes, as we must,” Kaiden agreed.
“But that’s enough heavy talk!” Kate cut in.
“Yes, here we’ve gone and talked business after all!” Cris exclaimed. “Forgive us.”
Kate bowed her head to her brother. “Please, go enjoy yourself.”
Kaiden smiled. “It’s been a pleasure.” He wandered back into the crowd.
“I’d say
that went well,” Cris said to Kate.
“I’m confident we’ll have his support when the time comes,” she concurred. “And I was able to pull your maternal grandmother aside before I talked with Kaiden. It sounds like Talsari is becoming a bit disillusioned with the Priesthood, as well.”
“So that’s three.”
“Let’s see if we can secure a fourth.” She barely stopped for a breath before positioning for the next conversation. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen your paternal grandparents.”
Following her cue, Cris zeroed in on the next target—his cousin Sal, heir to Monsari. He was more than twenty years Cris’ senior and had seemingly acquired a constant scowl from too many years reviewing financial tables for his family’s company. “Sal has already taken over day-to-day operations for MPS. I’ve heard rumors that his father is going to retire soon.”
Kate examined him. “So it’s Sal’s vote we have to win.”
“Precisely. I’ve met him maybe four times in our lives.”
“Have any sense of his loyalties?”
“None whatsoever.”
“Let’s find out.” Kate led the charge. “Sal, hello!” she greeted. “I don’t think we’ve talked much since Cris’ and my wedding, which means it’s been entirely too long. How are you?”
Sal was startled by the sudden engagement, nearly spilling his drink on himself. “Hello, uh… Kate. Nice to see you. “
“Thank you for taking the trip out here. What do you think of the TSS from the inside?”
“It’s a bit cold.” Sal wouldn’t meet their eyes.
“Well, space, you know,” Cris interjected. “Why they insisted on all this glass is beyond me.”
“The view,” Kate replied.
“Yes, the view,” Sal stated without any effort to sound entertained.
“So, aside from the less than balmy temperature, are you finding your stay comfortable?” Cris prompted.
“Pleasant enough,” Sal replied. “Though I could do without some of the company.” He glared with distaste at a group of Agents on the other side of the room.
“You do realize we’re Agents, too?” Cris asked.
“Like I said.” Sal took a sip of his drink and sauntered away.
“That little—” Kate started, fuming in her mind.
“Yes, that could have gone a lot better.” Cris rubbed Kate’s back to set her at ease.
Kate took a deep breath. “Who knows? He might be swayed in the future, but we won’t be able to rely on the same sentiments as we can with the others.”
“No,” Cris agreed with regret.
As they tried to spot others worth a quick conversation, Cris noticed Wil approaching.
“How are you faring?” his son asked.
“Happy and joyful,” Kate said for cover.
“We feel confident in three of the six,” Cris replied, catching onto the hidden meaning.
“That’s a decent start.” Wil placed his hand on Cris’ arm. “Why don’t you take some time to enjoy the party?”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be telling you?” Cris shot back.
“We should probably listen to our own advice, then,” Kate admitted.
Wil smiled. “See?” He searched around for Saera and waved to her across the room. “Besides, it’s almost time for dinner.”
Cris took Kate’s hand. “Very well. The rest can wait.”
* * *
After an hour and a half of appetizers and drinks, Michael’s stomach rumbled its request for a proper dinner. He broke from his conversation with Ian and Kalin to eye the dining tables in the distance. “When are they going to feed us?”
“There’s a whole buffet right there,” Ian replied with a gesture toward the exquisite display of cheese and fruit several meters away.
Michael scowled. “I’ve already had enough grapes.”
“Forget the main course—I’m anxious for dessert,” Kalin chimed in.
Ian rolled his eyes. “Chocolate is all you think about.”
Kalin grinned. “Well yeah, when it’s in fountain form!”
“I have to agree with him on that point,” Michael concurred, turning his attention to the tiered chocolate fountain between the open area for the cocktail hour and the dining tables.
“Who am I kidding? I can’t wait, either,” Ian yielded. “I bet we could sneak over there and—”
“Please take your seats in the dining room,” an unfamiliar male voice announced over the intercom, halting Ian’s scheming.
“They read our minds!” Kalin joked.
Michael smiled. “All in an attempt to prevent an uprising. Hungry people are a force to be reckoned with.”
Ian nodded gravely. “A truer statement was never spoken.”
Ushers gently directed the guests down the concourse to the dining area.
When Michael and his friends approached the tables, he noticed a holographic seating chart suspended in the walkway. “Where did they put us?” he pondered out loud.
After studying the chart for a moment, Ian let out a huff. “You get to be all fancy while we’re stuck in the back with the commoners.” He used each of his hands to point to the respective positions on the chart.
“Head table!” Michael exclaimed.
“Have fun with that.” Ian clapped him on the back, then headed with Kalin toward a table in the back row where the other Primus Elites were gathering.
Left on his own, Michael stepped cautiously toward the head table along the wall of the corridor. Seven chairs behind the table were decorated with an elegant bow of purple fabric. Wil and Saera were taking their seats at the center, with Marina and Elise to Saera’s left, and Cris and Kate to Wil’s right. Wil waved Michael over and gestured to the seat to his right at the end of the table.
Kate gave Michael a warm smile as he approached. “Looks like we’ll be neighbors for the festivities,” she said as she took her seat.
“I wasn’t expecting to be up here with you,” Michael replied and sat down, feeling exposed in his new position. A fresh glass of sparkling wine was waiting next to the silver place settings.
“The role in the ceremony carries through the evening,” Kate stated. “While there’s no way of knowing if you’d have more time out there with your friends than up here, I will say that at least we get served first.”
Michael’s stomach made another quiet plea. “That’s reason enough for me.”
Cris remained standing behind his chair on the other side of Kate, surveying the audience. When everyone was seated, he raised his hand to silence the crowd. “Thank you all for coming! Before dinner is served, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge this special occasion. It’s more than a wedding—which would have been reason to celebrate on its own. But more than that, today has started to bridge a longstanding gap between our people. For all of you to be here within the walls of the TSS would have been unthinkable only years before. We appreciate you demonstrating such an open mind and setting aside past differences.”
The Tararian nobles at the front tables, including Cris’ parents, stirred uncomfortably in their chairs.
They may be here, but I’m not sure how accepted we really are, Michael thought as he watched them squirm.
“I’ve had the honor of watching Wil and Saera come into their own, and to find strength in each other,” Cris continued. “As a parent, I couldn’t have asked for more than to see my son so happy. I know firsthand how important it is to have a partner with which to share my life. And with Wil and Saera, I have no doubt that they have an exceptionally bright future. Together, anything is possible.” He pulled out his chair, preparing to sit. “But, there is more to their relationship than my singular vantage. I think we need to hear from their friends, too.”
Michael’s face instantly flushed. That means me, doesn’t it? He glanced up from his empty plate to see Cris looking straight at him. He tried to shrink into his chair.
“Come on, Michael,” Cris urged, beckon
ing Michel to stand as he sat down himself.
Reluctantly, Michael rose to his feet. What am I supposed to say? I should have prepared something.
Three hundred sets of eyes focused on him, sending an anxious flutter through his chest. He cleared his throat. “I’ve known Saera for most of my life, and the last three years with Wil have felt like a whole other lifetime.”
A chuckle rippled through the audience.
Michael hadn’t meant it as a joke, but the audience’s positive reception bolstered his confidence. “If there’s anything that I’ve learned in my time here, it’s that the TSS is a family. When I look at Wil and Saera, I see the greatest manifestation of that bond: love. Love for each other, and love for those around them. They are proof of how much stronger we are together than alone. I wish Wil and Saera the best in their lives together—as a couple and as part of the greater TSS family. May their love always be an inspiration!” He raised his glass. Even if it’s just a distant aspiration for someone like me.
The members of the audience raised their own glasses in cheers.
Michael returned to his seat and gulped the sparkling wine.
“Nicely done,” Cris said in his mind. “Sorry to put you on the spot.”
“I should have expected it,” Michael replied.
“Elise, would you like to say a few words, as well?” Cris asked.
The Maid of Honor pushed back her chair and stood, looking every bit as nervous as Michael had felt moments before.
“It’s fine,” Michael assured her.
Elise flashed him a quick smile down the table and turned her attention to the audience. “All right, I’m not much of a big group speaker,” Elise began. “In fact, Saera and I first became friends because we were the quiet ones.
“I’ll always remember the first day when I met Saera and she said she was from Earth. If you had asked me then if I thought she’d ever end up marrying the Sietinen heir, I would have laughed. But knowing her the way I do now, I couldn’t imagine any other outcome. Never have I met a more intelligent, caring, and dedicated person,” her voice cracked as she started to tear up. “I’m so very thankful to call her my friend. And I’m so glad she and Wil found each other despite the odds, because I can’t imagine a more deserving couple.” She raised her glass in a quick salute before ducking back to her seat.