“It’s lucky the Gyfjon was diverted to the Tarsuss System. I would’ve hated for Izzy to miss this,” Junior Crewmate Gwenn said, as she walked through the halls of the compound, heading for the holosuites; her companion just laughed.

“Luck? Sure. Just a lucky coincidence that Pryvani’s communications company just happened to specifically need the Gyfjon here in the system this week. Totally luck. Absolutely not a plan at all.”

Lauryna paused for a second. “I’m sorry, Imperator, but are you saying that this was coordinated?”

“Of course it was coordinated,” a voice said from behind her. Lauryna straightened, and turned.

“Sir! I….”

“At ease, Ms. Gwenn. This is a celebration. As long as you don’t get drunk and insult Commander Tam, I’m willing to set rank aside.”

“And what if she gets drunk and insults me?” Rixie said wryly.

“Imperator, I would never –”

Rixie simply laughed. “Give it time, Ms. Gwenn. You probably will, and if you do, I will definitely deserve it. And I’m retired, and swear to the Emperor, I am never going back into the fleet. I’ll have the balls and/or ovaries of the Navarchos who tries to ‘Article 42’ me.”

“Nobody’s that stupid,” Aerti said with a chuckle. Then, spying a short woman coming from the opposite direction, he added, “Excuse me, Imperator. Ms. Gwenn.” He just about left a dust cloud as he sprinted toward her.

“Aertimus Bass and Eyrn Fitzgerald. Never saw that coming,” Rixie said.

“Don’t know if they did either,” Lauryna said. “Doubt Ms. Fitzgerald would’ve kicked him in the face if she did.”

“It was just the one time!” Eyrn said, pulling Aerti toward the doorway.

“That you’ll admit to,” Aerti added with a wink.

The doors to the holosuite opened, and Lauryna blinked as the simulated sunlight filtered through. A short woman with light purple hair, dyed to match her rather stunning (and immodest) gown, turned and smiled as the group entered. “Hello! Captain Bass, darling, good to see you. I do hope this wasn’t an inconvenience.”

“If it was, Senator Tarsuss, I would be smart enough not to mention it,” he said, grasping the woman’s wrist as she grasped his. “You remember Eyrn, of course.”

“I do,” Pryvani said. “Enjoying your travels, dear?”

“I am, Pryvani,” Eyrn said, with a grin.

“And who is this?” Pryvani said, turning to Lauryna, who was staring at the heiress, trying to remember that she was not reading a gossip blog.

“Junior Crewmate Lauryna Gwenn, ma’am. Senator. Lady Tarsuss,” Lauryna fumbled, reaching out her hand. “I…uh…it’s an honor.”

“Rixie! We’ve got a problem,” Pryvani said, with mock indignation, as she shook Lauryna’s wrist.

“Whatever Alex did, it’s his fault.”

“No, no. It seems that you did not explain to Crewmate Gwenn that I am, in fact, a mortal woman.”

“Not sure about that. I’ve heard rumors otherwise,” a man said from behind her; he was handsome, young, and strong, if a bit on the lean side, with long blonde hair, dressed in a rather old-fashioned uniform of some sort. He seemed to have stepped in from scene in a different film, and Lauryna thought he was very much out of place…but the way Pryvani turned to greet him made Lauryna instantly rethink that assessment. Pryvani was positively beaming as she pulled him close and kissed him hard on the lips.

Rixie chuckled, and Eyrn squeezed Aerti’s hand, and waited, patiently, until Pryvani and her date had concluded. “So…um…where’s the groom?”

“I’ll show you to him,” the man said, extending his palm human-style. “You must be his maid of honor. I’m Zhan, Lysis’s best man.”

* * *

A few hundred miles above, Lemm Tam guided a visiting civilian through the ship. She didn’t particularly enjoy this duty; she didn’t really approve of civilians on the ship, and Captain Bass was much more comfortable with hosting duties than Lemm had ever been. Not to mention that this particular guest really should have been Aerti’s responsibility.

“So do you have any questions, Dr. Freeman,” she said, impatiently, as she waited for the physicist to catch up.

“No, thanks, Commander. Now, you said the chief engineer can get me in to look at the comms array?”

“She can, but….”

“Great, thanks.”

“I was going to say, she can, but she’s a bit busy right now, I’m not sure that she can accompany you.”

“That’s not a problem. I can go myself.”

Lemm sighed. “Dr. Freeman…just because you’re the captain’s sister, that doesn’t mean I can let you go wandering around the ship without an escort.”

Naskia smiled, and did a quick five-count; she reminded herself that Aerti really liked Commander Tam, and besides, there was no way she’d win in a fight with her. “Commander, I understand, but honestly, do you think that I’m going to sabotage the communications on my brother’s ship while simultaneously making Pryvani Tarsuss wonder why she’s funneled a few million credits into this research? I just need to get hands-on with the array to interface the latest prototype, and I wouldn’t need to do that much if the military gave me accurate specs in the first place. But you don’t, and that wasted the time of the folks on the Maesk Chadan, not to mention my time and Senator Tarsuss’s money.”

“If they are compatible?”

“Obviously, I’ll have your chief engineer install it. If not, I may have to yell at my brother for a while. Yell at my husband. Maybe yell at the walls a bit. I really don’t think I can take another setback.”

Lemm chewed this over; Naskia and Aertimus were very different people, but Lemm had spotted one major similarity, and she decided she’d get as far arguing with this child of Hussell and Lilitu Bass as she did with the other. “All right, I’ll make sure that if Senior Crewmate Engine-Fixer can’t accompany you, someone else will.”

“’Engine-Fixer!’ Ha! I love Avartle names. They’re adorable,” Naskia said, with a grin. Lemm simply sighed.

“All right, Dr. Freeman,” she said. “This way.”

* * *

“This is got’damn ridiculous, you know that? My entire side is women! That makes no damn sense!”

“And I suppose I don’t count?”

“Aw, hell, Yammer, ‘course you count. Just…wasn’t how I pictured my wedding party.”
“Yeah,” Eyrn teased as she entered the room. “For one, you probably figured I’d be taller.”

“Hey, Twat!” Darren said, taking time to go hug Eyrn. “How are ya? Last I heard you were on Dunnermac!”

“I was,” Eyrn said, grinning. “Much nicer than Hive Prime.”

“You went to Hive Prime?” a woman asked. “How?”

Eyrn smiled at Aisell. “I know a guy. Went along on a diplomatic mission, just to see it. You…you can probably give it a pass.”

“’Know a guy.’ Right,” Aisell said with a chuckle. “Where’s Izzy?”

“I’m here,” Izzy said, carefully carrying some clothing into the room. “Darren, how come Yammer’s the only one of us that’s a boy?”

“I’m starting to worry about it a bit,” Yamanu said with a grin. “I mean, you passed on Degu.”

“Aw, hell, I didn’t pass on mophead, just didn’t know he was comin’ until he showed up with Obi-Wan. And you don’t got much to worry about. The three women in this room are tougher than any guy I know, and as for the fourth…I’m just hoping she ain’t bugging my fiancée too much.”

* * *

“Hold still, Lysis!” the fifth person from Darren’s side of the aisle said, as she wielded a straight pin.

“It’s dress uniform, Koranatappestrina! I’ve been wearing it for years.”

“It’s a disaster, but if you give me a few minutes, I can change that,” Tapp said, pulling on Lysis’ cape. “And I know how you military types are, I won’t do anything that violates regulations. If I could, we’d be here for hours. Are you sure you don’t want to wear a dress? It would be much more flattering.”

Lysis rolled her eyes. “I’ll stick with dress uniform.”

“Suit yourself,” Tapp said. “But you definitely look a bit hippy in this.”

“Fine. Wait, what?”

“Don’t let her worry you, Lysis. You look lovely.”

Lysis gave a warm smile. “Thanks, Zara.”

“Don’t lie to the girl. It’s…there’s not much I can do with this.”

“Well, I think it’s fine,” Lysis said, checking herself in the mirror uncomfortably.

“Here,” Tapp said. “Try this on, and if you’d rather wear what you’re wearing…I suppose that’s fine.”

She shoved a garment bag into Lysis’s arms, and then waived the rest of the group out of the room.

* * *

Luke looked over at his wife, and laughed out loud. “Quennie? You there?’

Quendra the Elder Huntress, Screams Like Kipp, Wife of Luke the Brave brought her gaze down from the sky and grinned sheepishly at her husband. “Sorry,” she said. “I just…I still….”

“It is amazing, isn’t it?” Luke said, pointing up at Herakleos, which dominated the sky on Avalon whenever it crested the horizon.

“It’s not just that,” Quendra said. “I mean…I can’t believe we’re on a different world. I mean…I can, with every step I take, but….”

Luke laughed. “It’s normal Earth gravity, or close to it. Kinda nice for a change, but you’re right, it does slow you down.”

Quendra nodded; she was glad Aisell had given them some warning. It had let them weight-train. “I think I could get used to it within a few weeks,” she said. “But…even that…the really amazing thing is all this.”

This was the street Luke and Quendra walked down, filled with vendors hawking their wares. Atlantis and the nearby area had stabilized, and the market was full of life, and would be even if the commanders of the First and Second Cavalries weren’t getting married – though that added quite a bit of buzz to the conversation.

“Do you think someday the Tribe could be like this?” Quendra asked, quietly. “More of us than I could count?”

“I do, Quennie,” Luke said. “With our partnership with the Marises, and the money we’ve already brought in with the glowberries…our grandchildren’s world will be amazing.”

Quendra grasped Luke’s hand tight. “I hope so,” she said. Then sighed. “Disa, Son of Luke of Earth, I told you, not so far ahead!”

The boy toddling ahead put on the brakes, and rushed back to his parents. “Rocks fall fast here!”

“They do, sport,” Luke said, tousling his son’s hair. “Just don’t get too far ahead. A lot of people here, we don’t want to lose you, okay!”

Disa giggled, and ran ahead to about the edge of where he thought he could get away with.

“And who knows?” Luke said with a grin. “Assuming we don’t lose track of them, our grandchildren’s grandchildren might even get the chance to visit Earth. Amazing as Atlantis is…Earth is on another level.”

“It’s like the Titan cities?” Quendra asked.

“Closer to them than this. I’d love to show it to you and Disa someday,” he said, squeezing her hand. “But if I can’t, that’s okay,” he added.

“Why?”

“Because,” Luke said, turning to her and brushing back a stray lock of her bright orange hair, “you are worth Earth, Avalon, and the Titan Empire, Quennie. I’d trade them all for you.”

“Not the Tribe?”

“No,” Luke said. “The Tribe’s our home and family. I’d never trade them.”

“Good,” Quendra said, leaning in for a kiss. “Now, we had best be heading to the temple. We don’t want to be late, do we?”

“Definitely not,” Luke said. “You haven’t seen Aisell at an even scale yet. You don’t want to miss the chance to look her in the eye.”

* * *

“There, check yourself in the mirror,” Tapp directed.

“All right, but I don’t….”

Lysis stopped dead, which rather surprised her, but then, she’d been too startled by her reflection to continue on. The woman in the mirror did not appear to be her. Well, it did…but a much better, stronger, prettier version of her. With much better breasts.

It was close enough to the traditional wedding dress of the Avalonians that it was clear that was what she wore. But it differed in countless subtle ways. She knew Tapp was a tailor, and a good one…but this was easily the finest clothing she’d ever seen on someone not named Pryvani Tarsuss. And it fit her perfectly.

“How…how did you get it to fit?” Lysis stammered out. It was not the first thing she thought, nor a reflection of her feelings. She was just so dumbstruck by all of it that it was the first thing that managed to connect with her vocal cords.

“Well, I verified that you had used the holoprojector; that let me get quite accurate measurements of you. Well, it did once Eyrn got in touch with Niall, who got in touch with Pryvani, who sent them to me. Of course, that was an Earth month ago, and I had to guess a bit, because I knew you’d be slightly changed…it’s early, but…..”

“Wait, what?” Lysis said, spinning. “How…did Darren…?”

“It’s in the eyes, dear,” Tapp said. “I haven’t mentioned it to anyone, and neither has Darren; I assume you wish to surprise others with the news?”

Lysis shook her head. “Yeah. But…this couldn’t have been easy. You didn’t have to….”

“Darren saved me,” Tapp said. “And he loves you very much. And he’s my friend. Of course I had to.”

Tapp was surprised when Lysis pulled her in for a tight hug.

“You are a good friend, and you have a heart of gold, Tapp,” Lysis said. “And don’t worry; I won’t mention that to anyone either. I assume you wish to surprise people.”

Tapp stepped back, and wiped a tear from her eye. Just one, of course. “Well, if you wish to wear your uniform….”

“Not a chance.”

“Well, then. I’d best go back and give Darren his outfit. Good luck, and congratulations, Lysis.”

“Thank you,” Lysis said. “Thank you so much.”

* * *

“Come on, guys, I’ve got to get dressed here! I’m in this damn wedding! Strella, where’s my whiskey?”

“Same place it was the last four times you asked, Alex,” the barmaid said, straightening her mugs.

“Right. Likely story. And Eyrn Fitzgerald and Aisell Maris, you are totally cheating!”

“What?” Eyrn said, as the two titanesses sauntered into the open square between Rixie’s and the Temple where the reception would be held. She and Aisell were toting two bison each. (Well, to be accurate, they were carrying the ceremonial carcasses of four bison, and the meat that had been butchered from them. The Avalonian custom of butchering at the wedding had been streamlined a good century ago.)

“The Avalonian custom is for the groom’s friends to bring the kill to the reception, isn’t that right?” Aisell said.

Alex looked up and shook his head. “Well, sure, but….”

“And we’re in the groom’s party, right?” Eyrn added.

“Look, I’m not saying you didn’t do a fine job adhering to the letter of the rules. Just not sure about the spirit,” Alex said.

“Alex, are you going to call us out for violating the rules? Izzy’s told me a story or two,” Eyrn said with a chuckle.

“Izzy’s a liar, and if you don’t believe me, ask Izzy, she’ll admit it. Just don’t ask Rixie, she’ll back Izzy up…all right, fine, as Master of the Feast and a representative of the Bride’s Party, I do thank you, good ladies, for bringing this bounty. We shall cook the meat, and we shall save the remainder for your presentation.”

“We are glad it meets with your favor,” Aisell said.

“And it was Darren who figured this out, just for the record,” Eyrn added.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all. See you at the ceremony, ladies,” Alex said with a grin. “Okay, Thelius! You ready to grill?”

* * *

“Are you in position, Visiting-Scholar?”

“Yes, Engine-Fixer, thanks. There should be about a five-second disruption, and then comms should come back online,” Naskia said, flipping three switches. The tertiary comms processor slid out smoothly, and Naskia slid the experimental one in seamlessly. She flipped the same three switches, and it came to life.

“Do you show comms online?”

“No, Visiting-Scholar. But I think I may see the problem. Archavian-Commanders told you that you would need a secondary relay installed, I suspect?”

“I don’t?”

“No, you do not. Can you disable it?”

Nas shook her head, and simply pulled the relay from the surface of the processor; she heard three short beeps. “Excellent. Communications online.”

Naskia slid herself out of the conduit, and handed the Gyfjon’s chief engineer the tertiary processor. “Perfect. Thanks for the tip.”

“Thank you, Visiting-Scholar. I have read your paper. It is most intriguing. If this can be put into practice, it would greatly help communications.”

“That’s my hope,” Naskia said, helping to secure the conduit’s hatch. “I know, it’s not exciting….”

“It most certainly is, Visiting-Scholar. I will collect the data and transmit it to you directly. Let us hope that it matches the theoretical models.”

Naskia nodded her thanks. “I should probably get ready for the ceremony. Hope the last shuttle hasn’t left.”

“No, it has not, Executive-Officer-of-Gyfjon planned to wait for you. Visiting-Scholar, may I walk with you? I have something I wish to discuss.”

“Oh?” Naskia asked. “Go ahead.”

“You are Commander-of-Gyfjon’s sister, I know, and you are married to Human-Professor, are you not?”

“I am,” Naskia said, not sure where the Avartle was going with this.

“Have you met Human-Female-of-the-Gyfjon?” Engine-Fixer asked.

“I have, just briefly. I’ll see her more tonight, I expect.”

Engine-Fixer twitched her tail. “Visiting-Scholar…I am beginning to believe that Human-Female-of-the-Gyfjon is as capable as any other member of this crew. I am curious…other humans you have met, other than your husband….”

“They’re all capable of the same things you or I are, Engine-Fixer,” Naskia said. “Oh, some are smarter than others, but that’s no different than Avartle or Titans or Ler or Dunnermacs.”

Engine-Fixer swished her tail. “I have come to think this must be so. Visiting-Scholar…and I wish you and your husband a long and happy life together.”

Naskia smiled. “Thank you,” she said.

* * *

“You needn’t suck in your gut, my measurements were exact,” Tapp huffed as she tightened the strap around Darren’s shoulder and flattened out the creases in his slightly modified traditional Avalonian wedding garments.

“I don’t see why I have to wear a gat’dang dress,” Darren grumbled, offering Tapp only verbal resistance.

“It is not a dress. It is a robe, and it took me a good long while to turn it into something you would look good in – which isn’t easy!” grumbled Tapp as she spun Darren back around to face the mirror. “Now you’re going to wear them and you’re going to look fabulous, because Korrannatappistrena does not create anything less than perfection!”

“Looks like a dress to me.” Darren folded his arms. He had to admit, it was a manly-looking dress. But it was a dress.

“Knock knock? Everybody decent?” Eyrn called from behind the doo, not bothering to wait for a reply before peeking in.

“Come to save me from lady Hitler over here, Twat?” Darren asked looking to the human sized projection of Eyrn at the door.

“Nope!” replied Eyrn cheerfully before nearly skipping into the room. “Just letting you know the load has been delivered, it’s all ready for the presentation ceremony!”

“You know, having her carry that in was cheating!” Tapp chuffed as she stuck a pin into a segment of the robe.

“That’s what Alex said.”

“Nope, I looked it up! Its the groom’s party who are supposed to carry the dang thing into the feast,” Darren argued with confidence.

“And that’s what Eyrn and I said,” Aisell added, poking her head around the door.

“Now, we could have let you and Yammer do it, Princess Tappie!” Eyrn gloated with a knowing smile.

“Not funny…fine…whatever…will you stop playing with that thing! You’re gonna get your dirty hands all over it!” Tapp slapped Darren’s hand away as he fiddled with his robe.

“I’m wearing it how can I not touch it!” Darren argued in a grumpy pout.

“Just keep still!” Tapp hissed.

Eyrn chuckled as the two argued amongst themselves. “By the sounds of it you two are the ones who should be getting!” Eyrn teased, to the chagrin and ire of both Darren and Tapp. “A-heh…I’m gonna see how Yamma’s doing with the guests…ta-ta!” Eyrn winced and made a hasty retreat.

Tapp and Darren were left in silence for a moment, Darren opened his mouth to fill the pause when Tapp spun him around and continued working on his robe. “Don’t screw this up, you’re not going to do better than her.”

Darren looked over his shoulder. “Hell, I know that, Princess. But…thanks for reminding me anyhow.”

Tapp looked up, catching Darren’s eye in the mirror. As she’d done not long before, she threw her hands up. “Well, this isn’t working at all,” she said. “Izzy!”

“Here your grace!” Izzy said, dashing in and saluting.

“We’re going with Plan B.”

“Thought we always were gonna.”

“Shhh!” Tapp said, but gave the barest hint of a smile. “All right, bring it in.”

Izzy poked her head out, and waved; Aisell, Eyrn, and Yamma returned quickly, carrying a garment bag in tow.

“Since you simply can’t pull this off, Darren…I brought a backup,” she said. She grabbed the bag from the rest of the party, and unzipped it, pulling the clothing out.

Darren’s jaw dropped.

He stepped forward, and took it from Tapp, running his fingers over it. It was a standard blue U.S. Army Mess Dress uniform, with Master Sergeant’s insignia, the right number of service bars…hell, his medals, right down to the clusters and stars and arrows and Vs.

“How….”

“There were some examples in the Earth data that Sen. Tarsuss had on file. As for the medals, well, you did list them on your C.V. when you were hired by the Senator, and while I will admit, it isn’t perfect….”

“It is too,” Darren said. “Still have my old duty uniform I was wearing when they grabbed Twat…but never thought I’d be able to wear mess blues again.”

He ran a finger idly over the fabric. “This robe is nice, Tapp…but if it’s okay, I’d rather wear this.”

“Suit yourself,” Tapp said shaking her head. “I’ll be back in a minute to adjust it.” But she smiled as she left the room.

* * *

Izzy had left the room and went to tend to her own uniform. Technically, it wasn’t her own uniform – she hadn’t earned the official right to wear the mess uniform of the Space Exploration Corps. Still, Capt. Bass had been more than happy to get it fabricated when she’d asked for it, said he’d be honored to have someone from the Gyfjon in the wedding party.

That had warmed her more than he could ever know. She straightened her nameplate, and the solitary ribbon she wore over her heart – the purple-and-teal ribbon that represented the Star of the Great Ocean. She took pride in that, too. She may be a pet in the eyes of the law, but the Dunnermac High Council had seen her for what she was.

She looked good, all things considered, and she felt good, except for the nameless gnawing that never quite went away.

Tapp swept through the anteroom and nodded to her. “You look fine,” Tapp said, which Izzy took as high praise indeed. She just wished she looked good enough…or more to the point, tall enough….

“Izzy, you comin’?” Darren said, as he passed her, standing straight. “I know, it’s just my weddin’, but….”

“Sorry, Sarge,” Izzy said. “Just thinking.”

“’Bout what, Iz?”

“Nothing. It’s stupid. This is your day, yours and Lysis’s. Just…has me thinking.”

“About that pretty redhead of yours?”

“She’s not ‘mine.’”

Darren chuckled. “Right. I’ve seen her when you wander into a room. She lights up like Vegas at night. And you do the same.”

Izzy was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, she surprised even herself.

“I love her, Sarge. But I don’t know…I don’t see how it could work. I mean, I don’t want to force her to say yes. Not out of pity.”

“It wouldn’t be out of pity, Iz. Trust me.”

“It would. It doesn’t make sense. How…I mean, it’s not like the parts line up….”

Darren stopped, and grabbed Izzy’s wrist. “You did not just say that, did you, corporal?”

“What?”

Darren chuckled. “Iz…remember, oh, three months or so after I first got on post, you were havin’ it out with Specialist Beauregard?”

Izzy shook her head. “I’ve tried to forget it. Homophobic piece of crap.”

“That he was. And you were walkin’ the tightrope, because we was still under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, so you were afraid that if’n I thought you’d told that I might do somethin’.”

“I didn’t know you then, Sarge. Not really.”

“Didn’t say you were crazy to think it, Izzy. Lotta noncoms woulda. Stupid rule all around. Cost us a lot of good men and women. But I remember Beauregard made that exact same statement about lesbians, didn’t he? The one you just made, about parts lining up?”

Izzy looked at Darren, and shook her head. “That’s different. I mean…we’re different species. I’m not even really a person. I mean, I am, obviously…but not to them. She’d always have to look after me. How could we be partners?”

“How can Zhan and Philadephia be partners? At least Red’s just a junior officer. Hell, I didn’t think anyone could be an equal partner with Perspicacious, even if he was as much taller than her as she is of you…but Zhan manages somehow. Trixie and twit – they get along fine. Not saying it’s easy, but…you remember what you said to Beauregard?”

Izzy smiled softly. “I think I told him, ‘If you can’t figure out how two women fit their parts together, you probably have a terrible imagination and a worse love life.’”

“Bingo. You love her, and I’d bet the farm that she loves you. It’s time to tell her. Shit or get off the pot, corporal.”

Izzy laughed. “Only you, Sarge, only you could use ‘shit or get off the pot’ in the context of love.”

“How’d’ya think I won Lysis over? Speakin’ of which, best get a move on – can’t be late for my own wedding.”

“Right. And Darren…thanks.”

Darren smiled. “Aw, hell, if I can’t be a romantic on my own wedding day, when can I?”

* * *

“Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we?”

Naskia sighed as she found her seat in the hall. “Yes, well, unlike some of us, I have actual work to do.”

“As if I don’t have a backlog of grading,” Niall grumbled.

“Like Kymie isn’t handling that for you.”

“I told her not to touch grading. Bad enough I’ve passed the lectures over to her.”

“Right, because there’s no way Kymie can handle lectures. None at all.”

Niall gave Naskia a side-eye, but smiled nonetheless. “Fair enough, Petal. Still good of you to make it.”

Nas smiled. “We were never going to be late. Last of the Gyfjon contingent was with me,” she said, nodding in the direction of Lemm Tam, who’d sat down next to Aerti.

“Even still, woman, will you ever be on time?”

Naskia stuck her tongue out. “Big words from a guy who’s only my size thanks to the holos.”

“Petal, you know I’d say the same if the holos were off.”

Naskia snaked her arm around her husband’s shoulder. “I know, sweetie. It’s why I love you.”

The Avalonian quintet began to play. Niall grinned; it had an aulos player, and the drone of the instrument lent the music an almost Gaelic air, one only boosted by the fact that they were playing in a pentatonic scale. The çifte and pan flute came in, with the drummer keeping a steady beat; the processional had begun.

Avalonian processionals were not the slow and staid affairs of Western wedding tradition; there were no slow, measured steps by groomsmen paired with bridesmaids. The wedding party came in en masse, led by Eyrn and Zhan. Zhan clicked castanets in time with the drums, as did the other Avalonians in the party – Tula and Norsem, two of Lysis’ senior officers from the 2^nd Cavalry, and – to the surprise of some – Alex. Zara grinned as she followed Alex, who had joined in the slight sashay of the Avalonians; he hadn’t gone native, but he’d definitely picked up a trick or two. The party was trailed by President Rabtes herself, the officiant for the ceremony.

The wedding party split roughly left and right, each of them bowing slightly as they reached the altar; each bow caused Pryvani to wince slightly. She knew that ritual and ceremony was important, and knew that all of them knew this held no religious significance, but still…the sculptor who had created the gold-plated idol had done quite a good job capturing the likeness of the Goddess, going so far as to use rose gold, silver, copper, and bronze leaf to give the hair a series of different colors.

The merry processional concluded, and the quintet paused; the drummer struck the drum four times, and the salpinx player played a short, bright fanfare, and the assembled group rose.

Darren and Lysis walked in arm in arm, as was tradition; Avalonian mythos held that the wedding ceremony was not a first bonding, but one of many, starting with the beginning of courtship and continuing until death. It was a significant bonding, an important celebration, but it was not the only important one, nor was it even necessarily the most important one. It was simply one that was celebrated, as it was a sign of the intent to fix the earlier bonds between two people, to make those bonds eternal.

Darren and Lysis bowed to the President, then turned and bowed to the crowd, then each bowed to the members of the wedding party on each side.

“Welcome friends,” the President said. “Welcome to this celebration of the union of Darren and Lysis. Does family accompany them here today? If so, rise, or if in the wedding party, stand forth.”

The question was part of the ritual, and was asked even if no family was there, as was often the case. Darren and Lysis looked at each other; each had lost their family in their own way.

So they were rather surprised when they heard people moving.

Darren turned, and saw that Eyrn, Izzy, and Tapp had walked to his side. Lysis turned, and saw that Zhan, Alex, and Zara had walked to hers.

The president smiled; she knew, as they did, that these were not blood relations; that did not matter. Those that claimed familial status were family, no matter their heritage.

“Family of the groom and bride, you have a unique role; as those closest to the couple, it is your duty to help them, to guide them when they question, to support them when they tire, to care for them when they are sick, to celebrate with them when they are well – and to help them remember the family who have come before, and been lost. Will you do this?”

“We will,” the six people surrounding Darren and Lysis said.

“And friends, who come with this couple today to celebrate, will you be with them in the dark times, the times of loss, the times of sorrow, no less than you are with them in today’s time of joy?”

“We will,” the congregation said.

“Then we are truly well-met,” Rabtes said. She turned to Darren. “Darren Avery, you come to join your life with that of Lysis Xanthopolous. Why do you choose to do so?”

Darren smiled tightly; he knew full well that he would sound like an idiot, but this was part of the ceremony. He just hoped half an hour of practicing in the mirror would help.

“Madam President, I choose to join my life with Lysis, because….”

He suddenly found himself choked up, and at the border of tears. He looked over at his fiancée, and gave her a sheepish grin. He took a steadying breath, and said, “When I came to Atlantis, Lysis didn’t go easy on me. Just because I was supposed to know about solderin’, that didn’t mean she was gonna follow my advice blindly. She made me prove myself as a fighter, made me prove I would listen to her and her soldiers, made me prove that I understood.

“I respected that about her, and I respected the way she carried herself, and I might’a left it at that…but she kept after me. Not to win my love, or to win my favor, but because she loved this city, and this planet, and by God, she was gonna defend it, and if I could help, great, and if I couldn’t, she wanted me to get out of the way.”

Darren smiled more easily now; he reached out and took Lysis’ hand. “Her passion for Avalon…it was easy to fall in love with. And the more I talked to her, the more I got to know her, I found out she was passionate to her core. She’s funny, she’s smart, and she’s tough as nails. And she understands what all soldiers do – that life can end at any moment, that none of us are guaranteed another sunrise, and that today may be all there is…so we’d best make this day as good as it can be. I can’t imagine today being better, because she’s here with me. I love her. And I want to be with her as long as she’ll have me.”

Rabtes nodded. She turned to Lysis. “Lysis Xanthopolous, why do you choose to join your life with Darren Avery?”

“Because I love him. And because he is better at giving long speeches than I am,” Lysis said.

Darren laughed, as Rabtes nodded. “These are good and honorable reasons. Your walk together has brought you to this place. Do you pledge, before this gathering, that you will walk from this place and continue on your journey together, no matter how hard the journey, no matter how difficult the walk, no matter whether one of you must carry the other, until you have reached the end of the trail?”

“We do,” Darren and Lysis said.

“The wedding party will bring forth the offering.”

Darren and Lysis each handed a silver coin to President Rabtes; in turn, the other ten members handed her a coin, and Rabtes herself added one. “Lysis, hold out your hands.”

Rabtes carefully placed the coins into Lysis’s hands one by one, while she said, “These coins represent the fruit of your labor, the reward for your work.” When she had handed them to Lysis, she nodded to Darren. “Darren, hold out your hands. Lysis, place the coins in Darren’s hands.”

Lysis handed them to Darren as Rabtes had handed them to her. “This is the fruit of my labor. I share it with you, my husband, as you are my partner,” Lysis said.

When Darren had taken the coins, Lysis opened her palm, and Darren placed them back in hers. “This is the bounty of our union,” Daren said. “I share it with you, my wife, as you are my partner.”

Lysis then handed the coins back to the President. “This is the bounty of our union,” Lysis said. “We give it to you to safeguard for our future.”

The President nodded. “These coins will be held by me for now, and they will be held for your children; they will be divided equally between them when they reach adulthood, for your family is a truer bounty than silver ever can be.” Rabtes placed them, one by one, in a small strongbox, which she locked. She took the key, and pocketed it. And when she did, she turned to Darren and Lysis. “Together, you have safeguarded your bounty for the future. You are partners, now and forever, unified together. Lysis and Darren Xanthopolous, you are wife and husband; you may kiss and embrace.”

Darren turned to Lysis, and she to him, and they kissed with as much passion as decorum allowed.

* * *

Wedding feasts are wedding feasts; they may differ in exact form, but they share a commonality across cultures. The bride and groom were seated at a head table, along with the best man, the maid of honor, and their dates – Darren appeared to be teasing Pryvani, while Eyrn and Lysis facepalmed at whatever lack of decorum he was presently engaged in. Pryvani, however, managed to say something that caused Darren to slap his knee, Zhan to look pleasantly stunned, and Aerti to briefly choke on his drink.

“They all look happy,” Lauryna said.

“They do,” Izzy replied. She poked at her bison; it was really quite excellent, and she wanted to enjoy it, but she was too nervous.

“Now, you guys need to eat up,” Alex said to Lauryna and her Titan tablemates, who had barely carved into theirs. “I went to a lot of trouble for you.”

“It’s not real food, though,” Rixie said. “I mean, it tastes good, but….”

“Ha! Didn’t you notice your plates have a red stripe on ‘em? Those are simulated bison steaks, printed out fresh this morning. Taron helped cook ‘em. They’re legit.”

“You printed out simulated bison for us? That was very thoughtful,” Zara said. “And Taron was uncharacteristically quiet about it.”

“Couldn’t spoil the surprise!” Taron said, raising a glass in Alex’s direction. “And they’re very good. Is this what bison tastes like?”

“Eh, it’s close. You know simulated food,” Alex said, launching into a discussion of the pros and cons of fabricated meats.

If Izzy was surprised at Alex’s knowledge of cookery, she didn’t show it. She poked at her steak, and took a deep breath.

“Darren and Lysis are practically glowing,” Lauryna said. “You’ve gotta love a wedding. Everyone’s so happy, all the couples are….”

Lauryna didn’t finish saying what all the couples were doing, because suddenly and without warning, a hand snaked its way behind her head and pulled her into a kiss.

Lauryna’s eyes went wide for but a moment, looking into the twinkling brown eyes of Izzy. And then, suddenly, Izzy pulled back.

“Red, I…I didn’t….”

But Izzy didn’t have a chance to say what she didn’t, because Lauryna pulled her back in for another.

They didn’t kiss for long, nor as much as they might have wanted to; there was a time and a place. But they kissed long enough for Darren and Eyrn to call out, in unison, “About damn time!”

“Stuff it, Sarge!” Izzy said with a grin.

“Not me?” Eyrn said, innocently.

“You’re dating the captain,” Lauryna said with a grin. “We aren’t idiots.”

Izzy looked back to Lauryna, and said, “I didn’t…I don’t want it to be because….”

Lauryna smiled, shyly. “Thank the Emperor that you did that,” she said. “I’ve been wanting to for months. But I didn’t…I didn’t want you to feel like you had to go along.”

“And I didn’t want you to feel like you should out of guilt, or pity, or something.”

Lauryna pulled Izzy close. “I love you,” she said, knowing that this might be premature.

“I love you, Red. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

“All right, you two, you’re making the rest of us look bad,” Alex said with a sigh. “We can’t keep up with that level of sweetness. Not before dessert, anyhow. And would it kill you to eat the buffalo? I worked hard on that.”

“You made us work hard on that,” Strella said, refilling Alex’s beer.

“Well…yeah, but I had to delegate! That’s work!”

“So you say.”

Rixie smirked. “Strella, have I mentioned that I like you?”

“Once or twice, Ms. Tam,” Strella said with a grin.

* * *

“Still feel bad you weren’t in the wedding, mop-head,” Darren said to the handsome young man as he left the dance floor.

“You asked me!” Degu said, laboring a bit in the high gravity. “I didn’t think I could ignore my duties to the watch. Fortunately, some of the other defenders worked together to free me up; they knew I wanted to be here.”

“Duty’s important,” Darren said with a nod. “You liking the job?”

Degu launched into a detailed explanation of his duties in the high watch, and Darren smiled. The kid had grown up a lot, he thought, and not just because he wasn’t running around naked. He’d seen it in other soldiers – some folks get responsibility and they run away, but some get that task and they find a purpose in it.

Darren wouldn’t have pegged Degu as a soldier, but he was gonna be a damn fine one.

“So you datin’ anyone?” Darren asked.

“I’ve…had some options,” Degu said, with a sly grin. “I think…there’s one girl I’m very interested in. Very smart. Very pretty. But…I don’t know if she’d be interested in me.”

Darren guffawed. “Mop-head, been five different ladies asked you to dance in the last twenty minutes. I’ll go out on a limb and say you’ve got a shot.”

“Maybe, but…I don’t want to mess up.”

“You won’t,” Darren said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And if you do….”

“Excuse me,” a young Avalonian woman said, sidling up beside Degu. “Would you….”

Darren chortled as Degu rose to go back to the dance floor. “Like I was gonna say, mop-head…you’ll have options.”

*   *   *

“Sure, you’re still taller than me.”

Aisell turned around, and grinned at the woman standing behind her. “Quendra, you look lovely,” she said, pulling the Elder Huntress into a hug.

Quendra sighed, and hugged her back. “So do you. It’s odd to see you this size, though. Speaking of which…where is Tall as Tree?”

Aisell chuckled. “Not sure. Where is Thurfrit the Chronicler?”

Quendra sighed. “Of all the things I thought might happen should you discover the tribe, Thurfrit and Aezhay…that was not one of them.”

“It’s only because I didn’t know him,” Aezhay said, leading her partner off the dance floor. “Had I known there was someone as adventurous as him living just down the road….”

“Adventurous!” Quendra laughed. “Tall as Tree….”

The Elder Huntress sighed. “Actually, I was going to tease him…but Chronicler, you have proven yourself willing to charge off stupidly, more than once.”

Uncharacteristically, Thurfrit simply grinned, and remained silent.

“Which is why he and my sister get along so well,” Aisell said, getting up. “Excuse me.”

Aezhay stuck her tongue out. “I’m not the one who went off wandering the galaxy for a year, Ais. Where’s Luke and Disa, Quendra?”

“Disa’s playing with Thyllia. And Luke’s talking shop with a teacher from Atlantis. Sophia, I think her name is?”

“Not jealous, are you?”

“No,” Quendra said with a grin. “I mean, I’ll cut her wide open if she tries anything, but Luke’s not going anywhere. He had plenty of chance to do that already. By the way…where did Aisell go?”

Aezhay shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably wherever Loona Armac is.”

Quendra smiled. “Yeah. Good point.”

* * *

“Just sayin’ it’s a shame, that’s all,” Darren said. “To think, that announcement’ll be the last time we hear the ol’ Darth Vader voice.”

“The sad thing is, I get the reference,” Rixie said. “And you never know. Lord Black keeps coming back; no reason Iron Maiden can’t show up in a Champions’ Tourney someday. But she had her run. I’m looking forward to seeing who can step up after her. PuppetMaster certainly played her strong in the Champion’s Challenge.”

Darren laughed. “PuppetMaster whupped her in the Champion’s Challenge.”

“Oh really? Splitting the rounds six and six doesn’t strike me as a ‘whupping.’’”

“Won two of three legs, that’s all that matters an’ you know it. Who knows, maybe he calls her out some year.”

“Well, that’s if he gets by Felltree. No guarantee of that,” a voice called from over Darren’s shoulder.

“Hey, Obi-Wan! We’ll see how Felltree does if it comes down to combat. I reckon she might fold again.”

Aisell laughed. “Oh, I doubt it very much. I think she’d love to get the chance…but it is too bad Iron Maiden retired before Felltree could face her again. That was a fun match to watch. And not just because I was on a business trip and away from Loona.”

“Hey!” Loona said, fixing her hair.

“It’s okay, I heard you swearing at Felltree all the way from Neith. I thought she had the upset, too, ‘til Iron Maiden pulled it off in the sea round.”

“It was a fun match,” Rixie said. “But I think that’s why the Maiden is retiring. She pulled off a draw, but I think Felltree wanted it more. Iron Maiden may have more skill, but you’ve got to want it.”

“You can’t be serious!” Loona shouted. “The Iron Maiden not playing with heart? Didn’t you see the way she toyed with Daemon?”

Rixie chuckled. “Well, I think everyone wants to beat that jerk.”

“Amen, sister,” Darren said. “And I gotta admit, I’m interested in seeing what the Tribute will look like without the Iron Maiden staring everyone down.”

“Me too,” Rixie said.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Aisell said, shooting Darren a knowing look. “Especially if we get a Felltree-PuppetMaster rematch.”

“You’re a bunch of gorram idiots,” Loona said, walking away with a disgusted wave.

* * *

“I’m impressed, Madam President,” Pryvani said, sidling up to Eudoxia Rabtes.

“Eh, it’s the standard ceremony. I’ve had enough practice with my kids.”

“Not that,” Pryvani said, “though the ceremony is lovely. No, a less-secure leader might be worried about letting the leaders of the military marry each other.”

Rabtes chuckled. “Epistratichos Xanthopolis – Lysis, that is – she doesn’t want to be president. She had the chance to take over, and she backed off. And Darren…Darren has spent his time since coming here telling everyone about how the military should listen to the government…’civilian control,’ he calls it. I know that if Darren and Lysis wanted to take over tomorrow, they could, but they don’t. They just want Avalon to be safe and secure, for its residents to live long and safe lives. As do I.”

“As do I, Madam President,” Pryvani said. “I want you to know that I will continue to support you and your people however I can.”

Rabtes chuckled. “Senator Tarsuss, I believe we are technically your people.”

“Never,” Pryvani said.

Rabtes nodded. “It is…it is easy to forget, with these…with this technology. It still feels like magic, you know, but…it is easy to forget that when we turn this machine off, you could come and crush me with a footfall.”

“I know,” Pryvani said. “But Madam President, I choose to believe that this technology does not hide the truth, but reveals it. That you and I, sitting together as equals….that this is the truth. It may not be reality, not yet…but someday, I hope it will be.”

Rabtes raised her glass. “Senator, you had a chance to be a God, and you gave up that power. If enough of your people are like you…you may turn out to be right.”

Pryvani smiled, and raised her glass in turn. “Maybe not yet, Madam President. But someday, I hope. Someday.”

* * *

Night had fallen completely on Avalon, and Herekleos hung in the sky, and a couple walked home for their first night together as husband and wife.

“You know…this may be our only child,” Lysis said, holding her hand over her stomach.

“Yeah, maybe,” Darren said, his arm around her shoulder. “Neither of us is getting any younger. But if it is…well, it’ll be the best damn kid in the history of the galaxy. It’ll have you for a mom, and that’s enough to make up for me as its dad.”

Lysis laughed, and sighed. “Darren,” she asked, “I am wondering – and I’m not complaining – but why didn’t you ever give me a nickname?”

Darren tightened his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “Because,” he said, “I wasn’t gonna do better than Lysis. Pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“You don’t have to lay it on that thick,” Lysis said with a grin. “We’re married, you know.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want you to wise up one day, realize how much better you could have done,” Darren said.

“Like sin,” Lysis said. “I’m married to a man who came to my world and fought by my side when he didn’t have to, when he could have lived rich and happy and safe on Archavia with the Marises. I couldn’t do better than that, Darren; there isn’t better than that.”

“Aw, hell, Lysis,” Darren said. “How could I do anything else? Look at everything I’m fighting for.”

Darren opened the door, and Lysis paused, and grinned. “No, no. It is customary for the groom to enter the dwelling first on the wedding night, Epistratichos Xanthopolous.”

Darren grinned. “Well, Epistratichos Xanthopolous, there’s a different custom on Earth,” he said, and before Lysis had time to protest, he had swept her off her feet, and carried her, laughing, over the threshold.