by Jim Rudnick
He was surprised but still, he had to ask…
Is what you’re telling me that when I see what will happen even only a few minutes or moments before it happens, you wish me—you order me to do nothing…to simply let it happen, Master? No matter the costs as I see them?
She nodded at him and then her voice dropped to a much quieter tone.
Exactly what I want you to do….I know your talent, Bram….it took much effort for the inner circle to arrange for you to be chosen by the admiral as your first posting. Even more for you to be guided along and as much more effort to help you help him too. We Issians worked at that….and now my final order for you is to ignore what you see happening in front of you…no matter what it is you see, Bram….may I have your word on this as an Issian… she asked.
He looked at her…and he said right out loud “you have my word Master, I will not interfere…no matter what it is I see…”
She nodded and smiled at him.
Bram, you are surely the future of the Issian race….my best to you and we will meet again….sometime and somewhere…
The link severed quickly and he was a bit slow to react….but sat up a bit straighter and then rose to go and get his tie.
It was colored the same as the Barony logo, the blue and the red and each side had a small crown on same.
His cummerbund had alternate stripes of the same red and blue matching the tie too and he put it on, pleats facing up as per tradition.
He looked at himself in the mirror and congratulated himself, he looked good—they all would, he knew.
In not more than two more minutes he gathered up his clothing he’d worn over to the palace and put it back into the garment bag and pressed the button to seal it up. Moments later he was out in the larger room as he hung up his bag and noted that they all looked good. Especially, he thought Ahanu the Ikarian who at well over six feet in height who was wearing a tux for the first time. His fingers were playing with the cummerbund and he looked at Bram who sidled over to be closer.
“Lieutenant Sander—I must ask, what is the purpose of this part of our…our…our costume?” as he fingered the cummerbund.
“Ahh…a question that has been asked for millennia, Ahanu. A cummerbund is a historical piece of clothing going back thousands of years to humanity’s home planet—Earth it was called. There, it was worn with these pleats facing upwards, so that the wearer could stuff them with items that they needed to carry. Over generations, it has been slimmed down and is no longer used to carry anything but crumbs at dinner time…” he said and while he smiled, the Ikarian didn’t as he didn’t know if ‘catching crumbs’ was a very necessary human trait.
He nodded though and it was at that point that from the doorway, a knock came and they were all told that their presence was now required in the huge lobby for wedding presentation formation setup….please follow me, the aide said and they all trooped out in line to go to the escalator down a floor to the ground floor.
On the escalator, he leaned forward to say to Tanner, “Sir, you look like a man on his way to his funeral…” and that got a huge laugh from all who overheard the aside.
Once on the ground floor, they were led back to the big lobby area where the head wedding planner stood up on a platform on one side of the foyer.
She greeted them all, she congratulated them all and then she asked that they get in a single line, with Tanner in the lead, and she then called out the order of the rest of the groomsmen.
“Ahanu please will be next” and the Ikarian took his place right behind Tanner.
“Dr. Etter and then captain Templeton, please…” and they filled in the line.
“Prime Minister Lazaro, is next followed by Admiral Higgins please…” and they went to join the lineup.
“Now Admiral Childs and then Admiral McQueen are next” she said and they too went to stand in the queue.
“Major Stal is next, then lieutenant Sander and finally the Duke at the end of the line,” she said and as they joined the group from the other side of the lobby, in came the Bridesmaids and they were all chattering and laughing.
The event planner allowed them to get a feel for the lobby at first, and as they realized that things here were a lot less casual and they quieted quickly.
Pretty good event girl, Bram said to himself as she quickly took over the management of the group of women and as she called out the names, each duo was to go to the next place in line and stand on each side of their groomsman escort for the wedding procession.
That alone took a few minutes but eventually, there were all ten groups of threesomes, in line, in proper order too.
The Baroness herself, made her own entry and flowed into the foyer like she owned it, Bram thought and then nodded because that was exactly right. She smiled at them all, and went first up to Tanner at the head of the procession and had a few words with him in private. She stopped at each threesome and some kind words for them all and she knew them all too.
To Bram when she got to him and his two Bridesmaids, she said only, that she was happy that he had accepted his Groomsman’s position and that when all this was over, she wanted to talk to him too, would he contact her secretary say sometime next week and of course he replied.
She smiled at him and then in the lineup directly behind his spot, the Duke stood alone and she took her spot beside him.
Maid of Honor accompanying the Best Man.
As it had been forever and would be forever, Bram said and the lineup was done.
Only Tanner stood alone and that was as it was supposed to be.
Bram was back quite a few spots in the line, but he did call up to him….
“Incoming Ansible for the Groom—your escape route has been okayed and you are free to run at any time,” which got some chuckles and a few outright laughs.
And now all they all had to do was to wait…
CHAPTER TEN
He stood quietly at the end of the long tented corridor and thought to himself, I’ll be married in a bit. He had already spent a restless night, thinking on that. Thinking about how his life would change and how it would be so much better. He told himself for the thousandth time, it would be better.
He was in love, that was true. He did believe that Helena loved him just as much.
But it was this whole Royal thingie that bothered him. It was out of his depth, above his pay-band for sure—but then most changes to ones life often were.
He wondered how he’d handle being a Royal—and how that would sit with him.
But for now—right now, all he needed to do was to simply wait for direction from the event planner who stood just off his shoulder, out in the open at the back of the ceremony area.
Ahead of them, were more than ten thousand seated guests, then the Heads of State in their specially reserved seating up at the front. Helena’s side of the Baronial family sat on the left side and his on the right. Because there were so few of her side—an aunt and three cousins that was a very short row. But on his side, he had no family members at all.
When the seating had come up a few months back, he had wondered about that. He wondered if he should have tried to track down his mother and little sister—but had decided against it. Relations with them were not going to be any better than when he’d been thrown out of the family those long years ago. Better to let sleeping dogs lie, was the phrase that came to mind and he nodded to himself.
“Admiral—please lead us off, Sir. Slow steps please and once there take your own star and turn to face the guests” the event planner said and he nodded to her.
He walked out of the area at the very back, the full distance to the center of the seating area, turned at the center aisle and then walked slowly up the aisle. It was a long way to the altar, where the Master Adept already awaited him. Behind her in a huge wide swath of their bridal flower roses, hung a curtain of same twenty feet high and the full width of the altar too.
He thought it did look marvelous.
For som
e reason, he was not nervous, just focused on walking slowly and it took the required couple of minutes for him to make his way to the altar.
There, he smiled at the Master Adept, stepped up the short height to the altar and walked to the star just to her left, turned and looked out at the huge number of guests. He received nods and big smiles from many of the Heads of State, even he noted from the Caliph who was seated closely and the Doge of Conclusion and the Chairman of the RIM Confederacy too. He smiled back at them all and waited.
Down at the same spot he appeared at, out came the first of the threesomes, with RIM Confederacy Council Rep Ahanu in the middle of two astoundingly looking ladies in waiting, wearing some color he was sure had a name, but he didn’t know what lay between teal and sea anemone coral. They were about a third of the way, and then the next threesome, his psychiatrist Dr. Etter and two more of the ladies and then the center aisle began to slowly fill up with the wedding party. He watched the final pairing of the Duke d’Avigdor and his own Baroness begin the same long walk, just about the same time as Ahanu reached the altar. There, he dropped back a step to let the two ladies move to their left and take the farthest stars where they were required to stand, as Ahanu did the same.
He grinned at Tanner as he went by, holding up the back of his right hand to his forehead for a second or two and he smiled back the same way as his friend took his place at the farthest star for the Groomsmen.
He was followed in turn by Dr. Sam, then Craig and Kondo and admirals Higgins, then Childs, then McQueen, then Alver, then Bram and finally the Duke himself.
He grinned at them all, and got similar grins back too.
They were all present, all the Bridesmaids, the Maid of Honor, the Groom, his Best Man and the Groomsmen too.
All that was needed was the Bride, and as the music for the traditional walk down the aisle by the Bride began he focused his attention way down at the far end of the center aisle.
The event planner said something to whomever waited still within the tented corridor, and then at a slow and steady pace, out came Helena.
Some of the MEDIA people, trotted down the aisle to get photos and vids that showed her walking but he ignored them.
She was dressed he saw in something that looked like it was pure glowing white—but as his eyes flicked off to one side, the dress changed color to match the same color as the Bridesmaid’s dresses. Interesting, he thought but all he saw was her face now, and she was both smiling and yet anxious he thought.
He smiled back at her as her eyes found his and they smiled at each other.
She walked proudly, he thought—this is going to be her wedding day and she wanted to do everything right for sure.
Just like me, he said to himself and he knew that was going to be true today.
He waited and as instructed, when Helena got to the front of the altar, the Baroness joined her and took her arm as they stopped below the altar.
The vast number of clicks of the MEDIA cameras sounded like a cicada storm, he thought as they all jockeyed for position to get the shots that they wanted. With more than thirty MEDIA people granted this high level of security, one had to sort of ignore their presence and he did try.
The Master Adept spoke.
“Who gives this woman up on the day of her marriage to Admiral Scott?” she said and with the great A/V provided by the best that money could buy, the sounds were carried to one and all all across the ceremony areas.
“I do,” the Baroness said, “as my adopted daughter, which we have just legally completed. I give Helena St. August to Admiral Tanner Scott in marriage,” she said and that got a cheer from some of the guests.
Again the clicks of cameras by the MEDIA were large.
Tanner grinned and took his step forward and allowed the Baroness to place Helena’s hand into his own, and he turned and led the Bride up onto the altar.
While the Baroness re-took her place on her own star, the Master Adept opened up a small book and began to perform the ceremony which was to take only about twenty minutes he’d been told.
“We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, the joining of two hearts and to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite this couple in marriage. Should there be anyone who has cause why this couple should not be united in marriage…” she intoned and was quiet.
As was the whole ceremony area…no one objected of course.
MEDIA took up positions directly in front of the Bride and Groom and the Master but did flow from side to side as they all jockeyed for position, though that was all behind Tanner’s back. Some pushed others a little and there were some elbows used to gain a bit more of a better angle, but the photo taking slowed as the ceremony went on. No need to do much, till they were pronounced Husband and Wife and they turned to do the kiss that would seal the marriage and present themselves to their guests.
The Master Adept read on.
“Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with their wedding. A good marriage must be created. It is never being too old to hold hands. It’s remembering to say I love you every day and it is not just marrying the right person its being the right partner…”
The Master was doing a great job, Tanner thought as he smiled at her and then at his Bride, back and forth.
He was happy no doubt about that…
The Master went on.
“Your wedding vows, please…”
The Bride turned to face him and smiled up at him. They had noodled around the idea of vows for over six months, and had both decided to be short and sweet and true.
“I, Helena St. August, take you Tanner Scott to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever…” she said and her smile lit up his heart.
He nodded and said on his own turn “And I, Tanner Scott take you Helena St. August, to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever…”
Again during both of the vows, the MEDIA were shooting photos and vids and bumping into each other as they once again tried to get that perfect shot. Someone in pink he noted was always at the front and always getting shot after shot.
He grinned back at her and then they both turned back towards the Master.
She nodded to accept the vows and then said to Helena “Helena, do you take Tanner to be your HUSBAND?”
Helena responded with "I do."
“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him/her, forsaking all others and holding only unto him/her?” the Master added.
Helena smiled over at him and finished with "I do.”
Then it was his turn and it took only seconds more to say his own I do’s and while the number of photo clicks was loud, he made sure that Helena heard it and she smiled back at him.
The Master nodded once more and then said “Wedding rings are an unbroken circle of love, signifying to all the union of this couple in marriage. Would the Bride please face the Groom and follow my directions?
Helena smiled and turned to face Tanner and said sweetly “Tanner, this ring is my sacred gift, with my promise that I will always love you, cherish you and honor you all the days of my life. And with this ring, I thee wed…”
As she did that, she slowly slid on his solid gold band onto his ring finger and smiled at him.
He did the same, sliding the gold band onto her ring finger to match up with the engagement ring and he smiled at her too.
MEDIA this time went crazy with the photos and while it was off to the side of his peripheral vision, he could see a lot of elbowing and such. Some had taken to kneeling to get away from others and that girl in the pink outfit was getting lots of photos from that level.
One more ste
p, he said as he turned, holding hands now with Helena to face the Master.
The Master had a very odd look on her face, he suddenly thought but she smiled at him seconds later as she spoke the endings of the ceremony.
“By the power vested in me I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.”
She closed the little book in front of her and motioned with her hands for them to get closer.
“You may kiss your Bride, admiral.”
She smiled at them both as they turned to face each other and he took Helena into his arms, and kissed her.
My wife—this is my wife, he said to himself and the kiss was met with thousands of cheers of delight from the guests and hundreds more of those photo clicks by the MEDIA.
The Master stepped up to stand just behind them, and with a hand on each shoulder, she turned them to face the guests.
“May I now present to you our happy couple—the Lady and Lord of the Barony!” she said.
They smiled hand in hand at their guests and the whole ten thousand guests cheered loudly.
So loudly, that the first shot was almost not heard, as the Master Adept pushed hard with her left hand and Tanner was somewhat shoved to his left.
From the MEDIA area in front of them, someone had fired and the bullet hit the Master Adept, right in the left side of the chest and she was falling. As she slid her hand raked down his shoulder but to no avail.
Tanner didn’t really even know what was happening but in front of him that MEDIA girl in pink in front of them took steps to be closer and aimed her camera directly at him, he thought.
He knew something was wrong as she screamed out “for Nora…you murderer!”
As he was about to say something—that something was wrong, the next bullet caught him in the chest and he too began to fall, sliding to his right towards Helena the sound of that shot was very loud.
Klaxons were now screaming as EliteGuards men poured onto the altar from behind the rose curtain.
