by Ann Durand
Oh, Mama. Ne ano ya domo co ne…if only you could be here with me.
The shoulders on the hologram drooped and the voluminous hemline pooled onto the floor. Katera checked her posture, straightened her shoulders. Nothing would mar this day, the day of her wedding, and yes. The dress was perfect. She pressed an icon on her dresser, and the hologram rotated, revealing the back of her head, which looked okay. She fiddled with her BeamPin.
"No bride ever stole a groom's heart with a greater vision of loveliness. That dress is perfect."
Katera spun around. Mikolen stood in the doorway, his hand planted over his heart.
"Yeah?" she said, wiggling her shoulders. "You mean all I have to do is hold it in front of me? That would cause a stir. Especially if I trip on my own train."
"Maybe you don't need a dress, then." Mikolen laughed. "C'mon. Let's test you without it." Mikolen rubbed his hands together, lowered his head for a charge. Katera squealed and held up a hand.
"Don't you dare touch me. I've only three hours left to get ready."
"Only three hours? Guess you'll have to keep 'em waiting, then. Because this is going to take four."
Katera draped the dress over the bed and bolted for the door, but Mikolen caught her around the waist from behind and plucked her off the floor. Helpless in his gorilla grip, she allowed her muscles to go limp.
"Go ahead," she said, in her huskiest voice. "Have it your way, if you must. Just please don't tell my fiancé. He thinks he's the only one."
"Shh," Mikolen said, tasting the back of her neck. "He'll hear you."
He allowed her feet to slide to the floor and his hands, now free to roam, reached around to her front, sliding over the bumps and curves of her body. Heat filled Katera's lower abdomen, and she reached behind her to rub his hips. Maybe there was a little time.
A booming voice rang into the house from the front foyer.
"Helloooo!"
Katera jumped. Mikolen's hands froze.
"Who's there?"
"Mike, for Chrissake, where are you?"
The voice of the ex-CEO of Tescali Lab, Will Carlsen, bellowed ahead of him as he traipsed down the hallway. Why was this man charging through their house? He did not wait for anyone to answer the door, and now he was almost in their bedroom.
"Mike!" Will's voice sounded urgent.
Mikolen dropped his hands from Katera's waist and hurried to the door as Katera scrambled to get into her casual day dress. Mikolen moved into the hallway and Katera followed, securing her dress-tab before stepping into view. Will stood at the other end of the hallway.
"Here I am, Will. What is it? What's the matter?"
Will rushed down the length of the hall and grabbed Mikolen's shoulders. His eyes flashed with excitement.
"You'll never guess. I mean, you'll never, never guess."
"Then you'd better tell me." Mikolen sounded wary. "As long as it doesn't interfere with our wedding. And shouldn't you be getting dressed? The last time I checked, you were in the wedding party. You still are, aren't you?"
"Hey, champ. I don't think you're going to be irritated with me when you hear this."
"Tell us." Katera stepped out from behind Mikolen. Her Lan Ma Ke had blazed to life, and she knew it was good knews. "Something happened-what is it?"
Will dropped his hands and looked from Mikolen to Katera and back again. "The Gryphon."
"What about it?" Mikolen stiffened next to Katera.
"It's back. The Gryphon came back."
"What? How? Did Felipa…?" Mikolen dropped his jaw.
"No, no. Felipa did not bring it back. You remember that list of technicians from the last board meeting? There was one that had never lived in Parallon."
"Yeah, Patrick O'Malley. He was missing from both worlds."
"Well, now we know why."
Mikolen paused, trying to think. "He must have stumbled upon Gryphon after Felipa arrived in the past," he said, amazed.
"That's what happened. And the World Union Council has asked the Tescali Board members to convene and interview O'Malley, but I already got a chance to talk to him because Gryphon came back to KQES, and their technicians brought it, with O'Malley, back to the admin building at Tescali. Several other ex-board members and I were there, reallocating resources left over after the lab closed," Will waved his hands, talking rapidly, "and there it was. It's back."
"Christ," Mikolen breathed, unable to believe it. "But it does make sense. Felipa took Gryphon back to the time before Greg died, so she could be with him in his final moments. So that left one unclaimed working stargate in the lab for someone to discover."
"Exactly. And O'Malley was the lucky candidate. He keyed in the wrong year though, 2276, said he was nervous. That's why he came back one year after he left. He didn't change the prior setting for the month and day."
"The month and day that Felipa arrived in Parallon, the same day Greg died." Mikolen slapped his palms together. "So then O'Malley returns on the day we plan our wedding." He turned to Katera and grabbed both shoulders. "Do you realize what's happening? We planned our wedding exactly one year after we left Parallon to celebrate the anniversary, and it's the same date that O'Malley keyed into the TimeSet icon." Mike turned to Will. "Right after we're married, we can hop on over and look at Gryphon…"
"Whoa, wait a minute." Will raised a hand. "There's one catch. It's the reason I rushed over here."
Mikolen sighed. "Well, lay it on me before I get too excited."
"The World Union Council has instructed us to dismantle…"
"No." Mike interrupted, his voice turning sour. "Not this one. This one's mine. They can't have it."
"That's why I'm here, Mike. If you get there right away, before they cart it off…"
"Where is it?" Mikolen sounded intense, his gaze focused.
"In the field. They're coming for it in a few hours. They've got a couple guards watching it, but without any special instructions. You could get past them. Tell them I told you to check the cam for travel data. Then…well, you know what to do."
Mikolen held out his hand and Will grabbed it. The two men shook once, looking into each other's eyes.
"Thanks." Mike folded his free hand over Will's, sandwiching it between his own. "I can't thank you enough."
"Ah, you're welcome," Will said, softly. "You deserve it. I felt really bad when they dismantled Silver Gate; it should have been your ride."
Mikolen gave Will's hand another shake and turned to Katera. "Hey, sweetheart, I can't believe I'm asking for this, but do you think we could put off our wedding for a little while longer? There's a pretty good chance we can get a Lupanist priest…er, an elder, after all."
With the idea of returning home, Katera's chest heaved with fresh hope, even as a spear of guilt lanced through the center of it.
"What about all the guests for this wedding? The church, the reception at Poseidon's Palace in Suela del Mar…it's too late to cancel."
"They'll have a wonderful party. After all, everything's been paid," Mike assured her.
"I'll explain to everyone what happened," Will offered. "They'll think it's very romantic."
"Yeah," Mike said, laughing. "The runaway bride and groom. There's a first." He scooped Katera into his arms. "Can't wait to get there. I've missed that beautiful place more than I thought possible."
"Oh, me, too." Katera laughed. "But we can still come back and visit, right? I'm starting to like it here."
Mike threw his head back and laughed. "You are full of surprises. Sure, we can come back. We'll have to keep a low profile. You know, under the radar of the World Union Council. They're not going to be happy about our little move, even if it is none of their business." He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "We'll come back whenever we like. As long as…"
"Yeah, I know. As long as we don't displace ourselves."
"Hey, you two," Will interjected. "It's not like you have all the time in the world…although, you sort of do, don't you? I think you'd better
get going, though. The opportunity is now."
"Right," Mike agreed, and reached for Katera.
"Wait!" Katera cried. "If we're going home, I need just a couple of things."
Before Mikolen could object, she raced into the bedroom and opened the chest at the end of the bed that held her spullera and panna. Swiftly, she climbed out of her dress and into her Parallonian outfit, wrapping the shipunta three times around her waist, and tucking the end under the finished band. Next, she bundled up her wedding dress, tossed it in a large bag and over her shoulder. She stepped into her slippers and out into the hallway.
"Okay, we can go now. I'm ready."
Mikolen rolled his eyes at Will, then grabbed Katera's arm.
"Thanks again, Will," he said, and whisked Katera out of the house and into the Lynx.
As they sped down the Landway through Ocean Park, Mikolen stared ahead, looking thoughtful.
"What is it?" she asked. "Tell me what you're thinking."
He glanced sideways at her. "Oh. I was just wondering. When do you want to return to Parallon? Same time as we planned? You know, we can come back right after we left, or we can return a year later after everything settles down."
"Well, that depends on whether you want to take part in the messy reconstruction of our village. It'll be awful you know. Village elders vying for positions…everyone arguing about what's needed. Fights will break out. And, yes, we could wait a year and arrive when things are calmer if you'd rather."
Mikolen gave a hearty laugh. "And miss all that action? Not on your life. I'm voting for messy and interesting. How 'bout you?"
Katera nodded as the tears filled her eyes. "I want to be a part of it. But we need to find an available elder right away. If we're not getting married today, then let's get married as soon as possible in Parallon. I don't want to wait any longer than we have to." She paused. "I can't wait for you to be part of my family."
Mikolen reached over, squeezed her hand. "Me, too," he said. "A family with you, me, Rorken, your parents…and anyone else who happens along."
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Unlike her first ride, Katera's eyes were wide open as Gryphon careered through the wormhole faster than the speed of light. Mike seated her across from him, so he could watch her and savor her expressions, enjoy her astonishment. She did not disappoint. Her head, trained upward on the tunnel wall as it hurtled past them, bobbed in amazement while her jaw slackened and her lips quivered. He had an urge to reach out and pick up her hand, but didn't want to interrupt her reverie. A short time later, the tumultuous tumble of the stargate slowed as they reached their destination in Parallon. Finally, it stopped with a small jolt, and a ceiling studded with stalactites materialized over their heads.
"We're here. In the caves. We're home."
In her excitement Katera fumbled with her bar, unable to lift it. Mike laughed.
"Here, let me. Hold still."
Mike lifted the bar and opened the door for Katera, who sprinted toward the tunnel at the other end of the chamber. Keeping up as best he could, he loped after her, relieved to find the lanadiks still turned on from the day before. Egad. Was it only yesterday that he'd struggled with Morchison? He caught up with Katera in the cave antechamber where she was rummaging in the gear box filled with hoshdel equipment. Mike looked around, grateful to see that Tonelly's body had been removed. The villagers, of course.
Katera pulled out two sets of reins and handed one to Mike.
"Do you want to ride bareback?"
"Sounds like you don't want to waste time saddling," Mike said, accepting the bridle. "Sure, I'll take Grindon. He's a handful, but he's fast. You can ride Chilika."
Katera knitted her brow and hung her head. "Oh, I forgot that Adrella had brought her hoshdel here. Yes, I'll ride Chilika," she said, quietly. "We can come back for the other hosdels later. Let 'em graze for now."
She led the way to the clearing outside where the hoshdels were munching tufts of grass in the mid-morning sun. The scent of conifer pine and rich loam floated on the crisp breeze. Mike inhaled. A large shadow passed over them, and he glanced up to spy a takatak gliding toward the summit of Kan Mountain. Yes. He was home.
Katera, too, seemed absorbed. She threaded the bridle and reins over Chilika's head and stood gazing at the animal, running her hand over Chilika's flanks as if she'd never touched a hoshdel before. Finally, she clambered over the animal's back and urged her forward onto the trail that led to the village. Mike hopped onto Grindon, who broke into an eager trot, promptly passing Chilika. Katera spurred the sleepy Chilika, and soon the hoshdels were abreast, snorting their greetings to each other.
Mike and Katera fell into a peaceful silence as they wove through the towering growth of Tikon Forest. The wide trail soon picked up the Kala River, winding lazily on a parallel route toward Kala Meadow and home. The river, full from the spring rains and recent snowmelt, leaped and roiled in the gully next to them. Mike stared at it, mesmerized by the froth that flowed like liquid lace over the waves and rocks. Somehow, a Parallonian river seemed cleaner, clearer, than the rivers in the future. The air smelled fresher, too. He sucked in another deep breath.
The hoshdels lowered their thick necks as they plodded in contentment next to each other. This is rich , Mike thought. So rich. He could not recall a single moment in the entire past year living in Ocean Park when he felt so connected with the environment. He glanced at Katera. A look of satisfaction had settled over her features. She threw him an easy smile and pointed ahead to a break in the trees.
"There's the meadow," she said.
Kala Meadow cradled the village of Parallon. They reached a bank and the edge of the forest where the meadow spread out in a mixture of magnificent lime greens below them, thickly dotted with brilliant yellow and coral-colored wild flowers. Further on, groups of hostas huddled together in cozy security.
Spurring their hoshdels down the bank, they broke into a canter at the bottom, speeding toward the village. Mike noticed people running everywhere, but not in a panicked mode. They were laughing, running toward and around each other, waving their arms in the air. Several watched them as they passed, some waved. Katera waved back, smiling. At last, they neared a hosta with a wooden fence surrounding it. A toddler played in the doorway. When they approached, he stood up on pudgy legs and stared at Katera in surprise. Must be Rorken, Mike thought. Except for the brief encounter with Shamana on Kan Mountain, he'd missed meeting the little guy the first time around.
"Hello Rorken," Katera called, slipping off her hoshdel and handing the reins to Mike.
The boy's eyes grew wide. He laid down his wooden hammer and wobbled toward Katera. When he got close, he stopped and planted a thick finger on his lower lip.
"Mama?" he asked, uncertainly.
Katera shook her head. "Mama's not here," she said, without elaborating
Rorken considered this, then lowered his finger and smiled. Katera crouched and held out her arms. He dove into them as if she were his mother. At that moment, Moreesha appeared in the doorway and squealed.
"I knew Mikolen would bring you back." She rushed outside and threw her arms around both Katera and Rorken. "I knew it. I just knew it." She turned to Mike and mouthed the words, "Thank you."
Mike nodded and slid off his hoshdel, tied him to the front post.
"Where's Papa?" Katera asked, disentangling herself from Moreesha's arms.
"He left for the town meeting. They're going to draft some new rules that we can all live by. Would you like to join them? Everyone's invited."
"Yes," Katera said, handing Rorken to Moreesha. "When we get back, you and I can catch up."
Moreesha lifted a hand to her daughter's cheek. "Certainly, dear, but it's not like I didn't just see you." Mike and Katera erupted into laughter. A flash of confusion enveloped Moreesha before she joined in, though she didn't understand. "Maybe I do have some catching up to do," she added, when their laughter subsided.
"Oh, you do, Mama. You re
ally do."
Moreesha watched as Mike and Katera strolled together down the path leading to the center of the village and the town meeting. Mike reached for Katera's hand, and she took it with an easy familiarity. Indeed. Moreesha felt a powerful energy connecting her daughter to this man from the future-it was as if they'd been in love for many months. As they walked away, she spied a soft light dancing around their heels. It sparkled like the light of a star. As she watched, it ascended in spirals around them to their chests, their heads, growing in brilliance, until it swirled like a translucent veil over their bodies.
Ah. The Lan Li. Lupana blessed the union. Moreesha clasped both hands over her chest as her Lan Ma Ke flooded liquid heat into her chest. Yes, these two had a destiny together. Surely, both would lead the rest of Parallon in the years to come. Such happiness. And children, they would bring Moreesha more grandchildren. Rorken, bundled in her arms, pointed in the direction of Katera and Mikolen.
"Da Kah-Ah," he said, stumbling over his tongue.
"Yes, that's Katera."
"Kah-Ah Wowon mama."
"Yes, dear," Moreesha assured him. "Katera can be your new mama."
Rorken lay his head on Moreesha's chest as she strolled into the hosta to finish dipping a batch of candles. Yes, Katera could be Rorken's mama, and Mikolen…wouldn't he make a splendid Papa?
Epilogue
Mikolen, as everyone called him in Parallon, and Katera were married within a month. It would have been sooner, but Moreesha insisted on having a celebration with the entire village in attendance and several elders officiating. She sent scouts to locate and retrieve the most fragrant blossoms for her daughter's hair, which Katera wore with the incredible wedding dress from the future. Moreesha created a stunning spullera of the finest silk embroidered with the colors of Lupana, gold laced with a creamy green. Katera wore it after the ceremony. Moreesha paid seven chefs with twenty-one goats for a feast that lasted three days and nights. Guests tasted tender kiddik and goat roasted on a spit, herbal-flavored rice, minola-soaked peras arranged with other fruit and berries, and of course, beautifully aged red minola served in tall slender mugs. Between snacks, guests twirled and high-stepped through lively dances choreographed to the music of the flutes. The dancing spent itself a day after the food disappeared.
