Saga of the Skolian Empire 02 - Catch the Lightning by Asaro Catherine

Author:Asaro, Catherine [Asaro, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Speculative Fiction, Space, Opera, Science, Space Opera, Fiction
ISBN: 9780812551020
Google: emQWa38MFSQC
Goodreads: 367993
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 1996-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12

Star Union

Ming opened the door onto a panorama of stars: rubies, topazes, sapphires, opals. I stood with her in the doorway of the Observation Deck. Only the wall behind us was opaque; the rest of the room was dichromesh glass, a bubble extending “below” the wheel of the station. A crystalline pulpit stood across the chamber, silhouetted against the starscape. A lacquer box sat on it, and a vase with a rose. Next to them a book lay open, a real book, paper and leather, an antique. I had requested Ming use it because her electronic holobook didn’t feel right to me for this ceremony.

People filled the chamber, standing around and talking. Kabatu was there, wearing a blue jumpsuit like Ming’s, with NASA and Allied Worlds shoulder patches. Stonehedge stood near the pulpit, also in uniform, with medals on his chest. Gold glimmered on his clothes like reflected starlight.

Then I realized the glimmer didn’t come from the stars. The scene had so overwhelmed me, and Althor looked so different, that it was a moment before I realized he was standing next to Stonehedge. The metallic,.gold cloth of his uniform glistened. It was also holographic, creating sparkles of gold light that gave it a shimmering depth. The style was simple, a long-sleeved pullover with horizontal ribbing across his chest that made his shoulders look even broader, and pants with a line of darker gold running down the outer seam of each leg. The pants tucked into knee-high gold boots polished to a mirror shine. A sword hung at his waist, sheathed in gold, its point arcing back in a curve.

As Ming walked with me into the chamber, Althor glanced in our direction and did a double take. He looked like I felt: dazed. This had all happened so fast. Ming took me over to him, then went to stand behind the pulpit. Althor kept staring at me, until finally Stonehedge pushed him. Blinking, Althor stepped in front of the pulpit. When Ming cleared her throat, he and I stopped looking at each other and turned to her.

It had taken Ming and me a long time to find a ceremony I recognized. We finally dug up a Catholic wedding over three hundred and fifty years old, dated even by my standards. It surprised me that she could read Mass; I didn’t know then about the charter of the Allied Worlds Interfaith Council, which provides for Inspace Chaplains, religious leaders who serve the diverse populations of space habitats and colonies, where access to well-established religious communities isn’t yet available.

We sent the ceremony to the Jag for Althor’s approval. Although the Jag sent back his agreement, I suspected Althor never actually saw it. I had felt his mind slumbering as the Jag worked on him.

Althor and I stood in front of the pulpit, bewildered, trying to pay attention while Ming read the ceremony. I thought of hbme, of the people I would have liked to share this day with, of Manuel and my mother.

“Tina?” Ming said.

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