Church: Wedding Day.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this today." Heather said nervously as Sabrina and SJ helped putting her dress on. "You see the guys today, they're all hung over!"
Ti straightened out her dress in front of a mirror, "Serves them right for going out and getting plastered, males; hmmmffff. All I know that if Richard up chucks at the alter I'm sending the video to funniest home vids for all the world to see."
The group laughed.
"Hold still Heather' I have to get this train hitched right or you'll trip over it." SJ said.
"Sorry' I'm just so nervous."
"Just calm down, there's a whole day after this as well, OK?" Sabrina said trying to calm her sister, without having much luck.
"OK." Heather said nervously.
Ezzy just paced along a table top watching all the chaos wishing she could at least help. Ti came down and knelt before her. "Ti."
"Blimey, Ezz' can you put this necklace together for me. I thought I could do it but my big paw cannot do the small clasp." She handed the white pearl string to her. She was happy to help. She threw one end onto her sister's shoulder and Ti pushed it around her neck. Ezz took the end and put the clasp together.
"There, all done."
"Thanks Ezz."
"No problem, glad I could help in some way."
"I'm glad you're here."
"I am too, its like one of those old movies in here, you know Black and White."
Everyone just looked at her, "Ezzy!!!" was the reply.
"What??" Ezz said grinning.
"Mom, how do I look?" Heather asked.
"You look wonderful, that dress looks magnificent on you."
"Well, it's based on a very special one, thanks Mom." She threw her arms around her mother and hugged and squeezed tightly.
"Heather!!!" Her sisters screamed.
"Oh sorry." Tears had formed in her eyes, they had the seamstress copy her mothers dress. The fabric of the original was just too fragile to go manipulating.
"You're so beautiful."
"Thanks Mom." Her mother wiped her tears away.
There was a sound of tearing that drew Martha's attention, "Ti, love, hold still."
"Mum?"
"You have split a seam, in the shoulder."
Ti sighed, "Oh bollocks, what more can go wrong??" Ti threw up her arm.
"Love, simmer down, it's nothing but if you keep that up it will be. Ezz, love, hand me that small box there in front of you."
Ezzy got the box for Martha Kent and handed it to her. "It just needs some reinforcement, now sit, I can't reach all the way up there."
Ti sat as her mother sewed the broken seam, "You look beautiful."
"You think so?"
"Yes, why would I think any different?"
"I guess not."
"You shouldn't think this way my girl, you're a beautiful female who has a mate who loves her. So much so that he fought his parents tooth and claw for you."
Ti had regurgitated the whole events of the past few days. It was an interesting evening, a bit awkward at first but she thought that she had at least made peace. They might not ever be really close but at least she could speak to them without them being obnoxious. "Yeah, I know."
"Good, I'm glad you do, now why haven't you got that limb of yours on??"
Ti looked at her mother, "Its not a part of me, it doesn't belong here."
"Love, it does, it's something that you need."
"Not today." Ti said in a gruff voice.
"Ok, we'll let it go for today." She kissed her daughters cheek, but she wasn't going to let this go. Ti needed that appliance and Rich had said that she wasn't using it at home either. After this they were going to have a mother daughter talk.
The other side of the church.
"Is my tie straight?" Hector asked Rich.
"Just ace."
"Huh?"
"It's fine."
"Ah…OK, sorry just different terms to get use to," Hector said.
"I know, you yanks have some odd ones as well."
"You know it dude, some of the terms the kids have today have me shaking my head."
Rich rubbed his head, it felt like a lead weight, "Oh, I'm cursing myself for last night; my head feels like a stone."
"Yours does? I'm having a real hard time standing."
"You going to be all right?"
"Yeah, but you're right, shouldn't have gotten drunk. I'll admit we did have fun."
Rich laughed, "That we did friend Hector, that we did. You know, I feel like the luckiest person meeting Ti."
Hector found Ti awe inspiring in size and strength, in fact he was sure that she was much stronger than himself. "She is a prize Rich."
"Oh, Heather is quite the dish as well, you got yourself a good one there."
"You're right Rich, I sat there the other night wondering if I was doing the right thing and as I stared at her picture I just couldn't imagine my life without her."
"You too? I wonder if the girls had the same thoughts?"
Hector sat down and the world around him spun; this wasn't great. Having a hang over at his wedding; how stupid was that. "Maybe, I know Heather is nervous."
Richard straightened his tie for the umpteenth time, "I think Ti just wants this over so she can get her life back to normal."
"I can understand that, Heather wants that as well. We are getting the best; that I know."
"Yes, I agree."
It was at that moment the door opened and Sid White stuck his head in. "Gentlemen, the time has arrived."
Sid waited at the door for his daughter along with Jonathan Kent. "I never thought I'd see this day." He said quietly.
"I know I thought this might wind up as dogs dinner."
Sid laughed for he knew what that meant, "You are so correct. How's Ti doing today?"
"She has the jitters, like most brides. She'll be fine, Rich is a good lad."
"He seems like it; put back a few last night."
"Oh the lads did that for sure, I'll bet they're feeling them right now."
Sid laughed; the door opened and there stood a giantess in white.
"Oh my dear you look smashing." Mr. Kent said with pride.
"Thanks Daddy."
"You look beautiful Ti."
"Thank you Mr. White. Heather is right behind me." Ti took her father's arm and started to walk away.
Heather took each step carefully, "There's my girl." Sid said with pride.
"Hi Daddy." Heather smiled.
"You look beautiful."
The white dress flowed down her back and draped carefully down her 'taur' body. "Thanks although I'm unsteady today."
"It's the nerves; you'll feel better when we're out of here. Take your time, everyone knows that you have to be careful."
"OK, prepare for a turtles pace today."
"That's OK; I'm in no rush to give up my daughter. You mean so much to me, your mother and I are so proud of you."
She smiled and began to tear as Heather heard her mother's voice from behind. "Sid don't you start, we just got her stopped."
Heather smiled as Sid grinned, "Cried a river??"
"Yeah it smells like wet skunk in there." She joked. Sid gave her a hug, "Well, shall we?" Sid put out his arm.
Heather took it and let her cane hang loose, she would use him as one. They had practiced this so it wasn't anything different. "Yes, let's." They started out for the altar.
Kalen Space.
Afain watched as Kira hit button after button as she read something from the display in front of her. It was all too technical for her, she knew history not machines. Cleo, however, found something that she was able to understand.
"I am tracking a signal from a probe of ours."
"Oh, that sounds interesting."
"Yes, it is sending out a star map, or should I say many star maps."
Afain knew what star maps were for, they made crossing great distances easy, if you had a powerful enough ship. You needed one if you were going to use a star map destination. In many cases some worlds were so far away they couldn't be reached in real time so a star map system was developed. The ship would move to a moment in space where those stars were mapped. It was done on major projects and if disaster befell a colony. The maps had to be extensive and precise or you'd wind up no where near or when you wanted to be. It was extremely dangerous and therefore not done very often. The other thing was that the power consumption was extreme; most ships didn't have the reserves to perform the maneuver. The Empire had ships that could do it but they were titanic, mostly for the reactors residing within their hulls.
"Anything else in the data stream?"
"It seems the probe was damaged and unable to correct its course."
"Then these are remnants from an extinct probe."
Cleo used mechanical tendrils to interface with the ships computer, it seemed to be trying to answer Afain's query. "I do not know, but its trail is distinct."
"Then it might be best if we follow that for a bit and see if it differs from our course."
"Oh that is not a problem, the old ship's course is almost exactly along the same route. I can easily pick up the data travelling that path."
"So you are recording this?" She queried.
"Oh yes and compressing it heavily, there is plenty of space in this starships memory but this could add up quickly."
"I understand, a probe. An old one??"
"Not sure, not as old as the ship but old just the same."
"This is turning out to be interesting so far."
"It is, with these sensors it has made things very easy, this ship is quite a piece of technology."
"Cleo are you envious?"
The machine didn't reply for a moment, "Afain, all I did was state that the ship was impressive."
"Oh, are you sure that's all it was?"
"Yes I am sure." The machine answered calmly.
Afain didn't agree, but she wasn't about to argue with it.
Church: Wedding Day.
Heather walked slowly, taking one step at a time. Today was a big test of her endurance and her nerves. She shook all over, which her father tried to compensate for by rubbing her paw gently. Everyone was here and she was so happy. She could see Hector and Richard awaiting their arrival. She saw her sisters in bridesmaid's dresses, a subtle blue; their choice. She wasn't going to embarrass them with horrid colours.
"It's beautiful daddy."
"It is that precious, I love you very much."
"I love you too Daddy, thanks for being there for me."
"We knew you were the one the minute we saw you. You were special then and you are now."
"I'm going to cry daddy."
"It's OK, they'll be tears of joy."
She made it to the alter in one piece; she had tears flowing down her cheeks. Hector saw and pulled the handkerchief out of his suit pocket and offered it to her. She took it graciously and smiled into his warm beautiful face. They held paws as Ti and Richard's ceremony was performed first, it was beautiful, Heather kept that piece of cloth very handy. Then it was their turn, she didn't know if she could say it, her throat felt so swollen but when it came time she said those famous words that all females and males want to say.
"I do." She swooned.
"With the power invested in me by the Church of England and our God I now proclaim you Hector and Heather, partners and mates, until death do you part. What God has brought together, let no fur put asunder. You both may kiss your brides."
Hector looked into Heather's eyes and melted into sweet bliss as he drew ever nearer to her tear filled face. He slowly raised her vale and looked deeply into her eyes for just a moment. He put his muzzle to hers and gently gave her a passionate kiss. It wasn't most elegant of kisses but
it was the thought and Heather drifted into the clouds.
Heather could just make out the cheering and clapping in the background as they broke the kiss:
this was their day. She felt joy and it was all thanks to her big sister Ti who was standing next to her and just breaking her kiss with Richard.
The two sisters turned to each other and hugged, "Bless you Ti, you have helped make me so happy."
"I needed this as well love, you don't how much." They both had tears flowing down their cheeks, they made a funny looking pair. Camera's continually were going off all about them.
Heather took Hector's arm as they started their walk out of the Church; it was splendor beyond splendor as they were surrounded by beautiful music and the love of their families. Ti and Richard followed at a stately pace just the way they had rehearsed to give the illusion of Heather's slow, careful steps as being a part of the ceremony. Heather had used Hector as her crutch through the entire ceremony and with his great strength no one could tell he was supporting almost all her upper body weight.
Everything had gone flawlessly but Heather couldn't wait until the evening when it was just Hector and her, alone.
It was then that her head was racked with immense pain, like someone had hit her with a hammer and she stumbled. Everything around her seemed grind to a halt, she couldn't hear anymore and her vision was blurred. She turned her head towards Hector; she thought he was saying something but she couldn't make it out. It was as if the world had turned inside out; she couldn't comprehend what was exactly happening. Her being was overwhelmed with terror, this didn't feel like what happened before; this was different. Something was very wrong!
She felt herself falling to the floor as she lost control of her body. Hector took hold of her and guided her gently to the carpet. She knew it had to be him because he was holding her so tightly.
She couldn't hear him but she could still make out the shape of his face as her vision turned red. She knew this was her end but she didn't want to finish like this. No, not like this! It wasn't fair to him. She put her paw to his face and she felt his strong yet trembling grip holding onto her. Droplets of water fell upon her face that could only be his tears.
"Don't cry my love," she thought. If this is to be my death then I'm happy that I was allowed to have my wedding day and to share this precious moment with you. Her feelings for Hector were so strong, she loved him so much; this wasn't how it was supposed to be damn it! They were to live in that new home, maybe even adopt some kids. "It's not fair!" her mind screamed. She felt her body shake and convulse. Hector's outline began to fade from view. She made one last effort to speak because something told her these would be her very last words.
"I love you Hector." She spoke but a whisper, she only hoped he could hear it.
In his mighty arms, Heather continued to convulse, her eyes rolled back up into her head. He found it difficult to keep her body from flaying about but he wasn't about to let her hurt herself. "Hold on Heather, help is on the way." Suddenly her convulsions stopped and she grew quiet. With one paw he gently stroked her head, trying in vain to reverse this horror. His other paw felt her racing heart slow continually until he felt nothing at all. Her body became deathly still, it was a scene out of a nightmare; people scrambled all about trying to help and all that Hector could say in total silence and sadness was, "No."
End of Chapter 17
Darkness falls.