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WE’D BEEN WAITING FOR more than a month, fully armed, operational, and had even taken seven Phelb ships to add to our armada when a small fleet passed too close to Novela. I had consulted with Mallory the day before yesterday and we’d made the decision to launch a full strike against our own home world and drive the invaders away before we struck at Earth and the Phelb capital of Falsun.
But there was more urgent business at hand during this time. I stood inside the new council building, built of strong wood and beautifully hand-carved stone. The council had voted, with the support of the people, to turn our tiny settlement into a new Vandorian colony. During our exile here, many children had been born and some of the citizenry wanted to remain to live out their lives here.
Ivata tugged lightly on my shoulder rigging as I affixed the newest of my combat ribbons over my left breast pocket. “You’re all fucked up here, Colonel.” He said with a sigh in his tone. “Why is your dress uniform always fucked up?”
“Because I’m not in the Navy,” I replied. “I don’t spend hours playing dress up.” He barked with laughter and I even grinned. I was nervous for this mission, even if this assignment had been given to me by my own orders. My palms were sweaty, I felt somewhat queasy.
Ivata finished his efforts and slapped me on the shoulder. “You are presentable. Don’t fuck up your beret, will you?”
I grunted as I tugged it in place over my hair, checked the mirror and felt like an alien invader. The pure black Night Stalker dress uniform was almost as imposing as our combat uniforms, silver piping ran along the seams that sealed the jacket, gleaming polished silver buttons closed the fine cotton coat, pure black trousers with a flawless crease, and polished black dress shoes.
“You nervous, Colonel?” Noku asked, his own dress uniform immaculate. He tugged on his beret as well, his silver Captains insignia glinting in the soft overhead light. “I think they’re ready for us.”
“Yeah.” I exhaled once more.
“Still time to walk away.”
“No.”
“You sure? We could use a frame charge and blow the back door...”
“Shut up, Captain.”
“Maybe we could use a claymore to take everyone else out and rush the main door...”
I punched him in the chest, not hard. He burst out laughing. “Come on, how often do I get to tease you about being nervous?” He grinned. “You’re doing what you want to do, and you need to get out there and do it.”
“Roger that, Captain.” I faced him, snapped to attention. He mirrored me, and then raised his hand to his eyebrow in salute. I returned the gesture crisply, then spun on my heel and marched out the side door to meet Councilor Moore, who wore a simple white robe and held a small tablet in his hand. I stopped in front of him and saluted. He nodded with a smile and gestured me to his left. I stood, turned a half face with Ivata at my left shoulder, mirroring my every movement. I was glad to have him standing next to me during such a moment, as he’d been for the last few years.
The doors at the end of the hall opened with a clatter and the Stalkers that crowded into every open space to my left snapped to attention. The white uniforms of the Navy stood across from them, a stark contrast to the sea of black uniforms. They formed a narrow walkway between them, with the doors at one end and the Councilor and myself at the other.
Mallory strode in, crisp and fearless, her hair straight and dyed a perfect black, brown eyes shimmering in the light. Her uniform clung to her in all the places that made my knees weak from the day I’d met her, and the gentle smile in her eyes made my heart race. Behind her strode Captain Lucy Rheas, her adjutant. She stopped in front of the councilor, saluted. He nodded to her as well. She mirrored my position on his right, Captain Rheas behind her as Ivata stood behind me.
“Stand before me.” Moore ordered, his voice booming through the hall. The rest of the council stood at his back. Mallory and I each took a half face, then stepped forward to face one another, then pivoted with perfect precision and faced Councilor Moore.
“Be at ease.” He ordered. Mallory and I both relaxed our shoulders and folded our hands in the small of our backs, remaining in perfect unison, trained flawlessly. “Commander Mallory Ruiz, Colonel Destota Valentine.” He said sternly, then seemed unable to maintain the posture and broke into a broad smile. “You have the dubious honor of the only recipients of this particular attention to my station, so please forgive me if I stumble through this.”
There was no laughter, smiles or even movement. Our people were far too disciplined.
Moore took a deep breath and stole a glance at the screen of his tablet. “We have assembled here, on this day, to witness the marriage of Commander Mallory Ruiz and Colonel Destota Valentine.” He glanced at both of us in turn as he spoke. “These two young people have come together at this time of darkness and strife, after suffering painful losses.”
At this, I couldn’t help but feeling tightness in my throat and my eyes flicked to where images of my father and mother stood near the side of the room. It ripped into my heart anew.
“Admiral Ruiz, do you enter into this union in good faith and willingly?” Moore was saying to her. She finally broke her military bearing and looked at me, tears on her long lashes and a smile on her face that reached her eyes and touched my heart. “Yes, I do.” She whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“Colonel Valentine, do you enter into this union in good faith and willingly?”
“Yes, I do.” I replied, looking at her and cocking a lopsided grin.
“Then by the order of the Council of Vandor, I am pleased and honored to introduce you to your people as Mr. and Mrs. Valentine.” He glanced at me and winked. “You may now kiss your bride.” For once in my life, I allowed my military bearing to vanish from my posture. I took her into my arms and pulled her close to kiss her. At Ivata’s signal, the entirety of the Night Stalkers could also abandon their posture and erupted into a massive roaring cheer that drowned out that of the naval personnel, both groups throwing their caps into the air as they cheered. Mallory pulled away from me slightly and looked into my eyes. “I love you, Colonel Valentine.” She whispered, tears running down her cheeks.
“I love you, Commander Valentine.” I whispered and kissed her again.
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