Battlestar Argo
by AJ Marks
Part 18: Wedding Bells
Troy walked down to find out where Bri was. He wanted to see if she had made up her mind of when to have the wedding. Then there was also the problem of Nall and Rebecca. She had not talked to Nall in quite a while and he had a feeling that he knew why. He wanted to talk to Bri about making sure that she was invited to their wedding. He had a feeling that the action would help both of them out.
Turning the corner he noticed that Rebecca was walking away from the rec room. He could see that she appeared to be a bit upset by something. Turning into the rec room he found Bri and Nall standing there. Bri was on her tip toes staring right into Nall’s eyes. Nall had a mischievous grin on his face that told Troy that they had been up to no good already.
“All right, what happened now,” Troy asked wondering about all of this.
“Ask him,” Bri said with a raised eyebrow not taking her eyes off Nall.
“I just asked if she wanted me to help her take some pictures for the joining for you,” Nall said giving the end of his mustache a twirl with one hand.
“And,” Bri said now tapping her foot in an impatient manor.
“Well I suggested she be naked,” Nall said with a grin.
“Pervert,” Bri said reaching up with both hands he gripped both ends of his mustache and pulled down.
“Hey, ow,” Nall replied as he was brought down to her level.
“Never,” Bri said as she was nose to nose with him now.
“Bri,” Troy said getting her attention. “Do we have a date yet?”
“I was thinking about once we get to back to Earth,” Bri said.
“Sound good,” Troy replied. “I was thinking that we should invite Rebecca as well.”
“Ah, that might not be a good idea,” Nall said. Lately they had been having trouble and he could not figure out why. He had been sure that she liked him, as much as he did her. She had for some reason distanced herself from him.
“Actually it might be a good idea,” Troy replied. “You can ask her to be your date.”
“I don’t know guys,” Nall said sounding very unlike the man who was usually so confident about asking woman out.
“Did I hear that you have a date picked out yet,” Jax said as she came over to where they were standing.
“Yep,” Bri replied. “I’ve got some things to work out so I’ll talk to you all later.”
Troy watched Bri walk out of the room then turned to face the other two standing there with grins on their faces. “What,” he asked them wondering what he had missed.
“Nothing,” Jax replied as she looked at Nall. They had watched how Troy’s eyes had followed Bri until she had walked out the door. If anyone did not see how attached they were they were blind.
“Well, I need to get going. I’m on patrol before we head back to Earth,” Jax said. She left the room leaving Nall and Troy in the rec room.
*****
Bri made her way to the commander’s office hoping that he was in there. Things were a bit busy and she wanted to ask him if the date she had set up would work for him. She arrived at the door and knocked on it hoping that he was in there and not busy. The door chimed open and she walked in grateful to see that he was not too busy at the moment.
Ares watched as Bri made her way into his office. He had been expecting her to show up to discuss the upcoming joining. He wondered if they had come to an agreement as to when they would join.
“I hear that congratulations are in order,” Ares said to her as she sat down across from him. He watched as a smile broke out across Bri’s face.
“Thanks,” Bri said a bit excitedly. “For a while I wondered about it myself then realized that we were waiting for a right moment.”
“So you’re telling me that a remote planet was the most romantic place,” Ares said with a bit of a smile on his face.
Bri opened her mouth then closed it as she thought about that before answering. “I think we were both waiting for the right time and that came while we were on the planet’s surface.”
“All right that sounds fair enough to me. You do know that everyone on board was wondering when you would join right,” Ares said. There was a lot of speculation of when Troy would propose after they had found Earth.
“I know,” Bri replied. “I actually came here to see about a date for our joining.”
Ares leaned forward to hear this. It was what he was expecting from her. He was a bit curious as to when and where they would have the ceremony.
“I was thinking that we could have it once we made it back to Earth,” Bri said. She had thought about it and they might have enough time to have a couple of nights on Earth to celebrate their joining.
“That’s sounds like a wonderful plan to me,” Ares replied. “Hoping that you might be able to spend some time on the planet’s surface to celebrate?”
“Yeah,” Bri said feeling a it of heat on her face as she blushed a bit at the thought of what they would probably be doing.
“Taking in the sights on Earth might be a good thing. We need to understand their culture more if we are to mix with their people. It’s a good idea,” Ares said knowing that they probably would not et out of their room while they were on the planet’s surface. He would have to talk with Jack and Robert about securing a place for the newly joined couple. “I’ll see what I can do for you two.”
“Thanks commander,” Bri said jumping up and giving Ares a hug over his desk. She then resumed her professional manor and excused herself leaving Ares by himself.
With a grin he walked over to the intercom to get Robert and Jack in his office so he could talk with them about it.
*****
Nall was standing in the main area of the rec room waiting for whatever happened next. Bri came walking into the room with a smile on her face and determination in her step as she approached him. He knew that she had something on her mind from her actions as she approached him. He stood waiting until she was right next to him.
“Hey shortie,” Nall said as a greeting watching as she pulled herself up to her full height which was still shorter than almost everyone else on board.
“I am not short,” she said punctuating her last word with a jab into his chest.
“All right,” Nall said with a laugh. “What’s up,” he finally asked.
“Well, I was wondering if you would do me a favor,” she asked him. “I was hoping that you would be the one who gives me away,” she asked suddenly quite shy about asking him this.
“Me,” Nall replied a bit startled by the request. It was something that he was not expecting to hear that was for sure.
“You’re my family,” Bri replied hoping that he would say he would.
“I guess the only thing I can say is yes, I would be honored to do it,” he told her.
“Yes,” Bri said jumping up and giving him a quick hug along with a kiss before leaving the room leaving Nall standing there a bit stunned by her actions so he missed Rebecca walking in and walking back out again.
*****
Robert went looking for Rebecca. He had not seen her in a quite a while now and was beginning to wonder where she was. He found her standing by the window looking out into space. He had never seen her so withdrawn in a long time and wondered what had happened. He walked over to her intent to find out what was going on. He stood there for a few minutes before she acknowledged that he was there.
“Want to talk about it,” Robert asked looking into the blue eyes that Rebecca had. If he had been thirty years younger and not married he would ask her out for a date, but he had to settle for a more fatherly role instead.
“Nothing to talk about,” Rebecca replied. She had heard the rumor that Bri was getting joined. When she had inquired a bit more she found out that a joining was just like their marriage. The final straw was seeing Bri give Nall a kiss as she walked into the room not long ago.
Robert knew then that something was bothering Rebecca. He wondered how much she liked Nall. He was defiantly different from anyone else that she had dated. He also had a feeling that there was more going on than he knew. He tried again to talk to her but got the same reply.
“Well when you ready to talk let me know,” Robert said when a request came to him asking him if he would report to Commander Ares’ office. With a quick good bye and a promise that he would talk to her later he left to head to the commander’s office.
*****
Ares watched as Robert walked into his office along with Sam. He could only hope that they had an idea for such a thing or that there was such a tradition on Earth.
“Welcome gentlemen, have a seat,” he said motioning for them to sit down. “What I’m about to ask you is strictly personal.”
Sam and Robert waited to see what Ares had to say. They had both thought that this would have something to do with the base that was being designed right as they were speaking. Perhaps this would give the two men more insight into what was really happening wanted.
“When we get back to Earth space a couple of crewmembers have asked me to join them,” Ares said.
“Join them,” Robert asked not really sure he understood what Ares was talking about. He had an idea but was going to wait to see if his idea was correct.
“Yes, its when two people who love each other make lifelong commitments to each other. It is a sacred traditional among our people,” Ares said.
“Much like marriage is on our planet,” Sam said but still was not sure why Ares needed to see them and voiced his opinion out loud.
“Normally we would not need your help in such a thing, but the couple usually spends some time along after the joining,” Ares said. “And here on board a battlestar there is little room for such a thing.”
“Oh, you need a honeymoon for the newly joined couple,” Robert said as something clicked in his mind. This might be the reason why Rebecca was being so distant.
“Yes,” Ares said a bit relieved that the people on Earth seemed to have the same type of customs that they did. He knew that the religions would probably be different but they would not think that Troy and Bri would be strange for being on a ‘honeymoon’ as Robert called it.
“I think I can manage something,” Sam said thinking about it. He could contact his wife who loved to plan trips. This would be something she would love. “In face I know just the person do plan it,” he said with a smile. “My wife loves to plan trips and I’m sure she would be overjoyed to do such a thing and money we can handle for now.”
“Yes, we should be able to straighten that out in time and we can repay you,” Ares said. Economics was something that would take time to do but it was something that he knew about when he left.
The finished up and Sam got up to find out how the design team was making out. Robert waited a bit until Sam left. He was wondering if the joining somehow involved Nall or not. Rebecca seemed to like him and if was joining then it would explain her behavior lately.
“Can I ask you a quick question,” Robert asked.
“Sure,” Ares said wondering what Robert had to ask.
“Does this joining involve the pilot Nall that we met earlier,” Robert asked.
“No, but two of his friends,” Ares said. “Why?”
“Just trying to figure someone’s attitude out,” Robert said. Robert walked off hoping that he would be able to figure out what was going on with Rebecca.
*****
Jax walked around looking for Nall. The man had disappeared somehow on the ship. It could happen from time to time but never for such a long period of time. She walked into the pilots briefing room and noticed the man she was looking for. He had been in a strange mood lately and she was going to find out why.
“What’s up Nall,” Jax said as she sat down next to him.
“Nothing much,” Nall said as he sat there.
“Yeah right, tell that to someone who believes it,” Jax replied.
“I’m just doing some thinking,” Nall said not elaborating too much about everything.
“I think you’re a bit heart broken,” Jax said. “You’ve been in love with Bri for so long that you’ve been able to set any real emotion aside for anyone else. Now Bri is getting married and you’ve given you’re heart to someone else.”
Nall looked up at her but did not say anything. He was not sure that he wanted to thing about that just yet. He was still trying to get over the fact that Bri had wanted him to give her away to Troy for their joining.
“And I suppose you know who it is that I’ve given my heart to,” Nall asked wondering if everyone knew.
“Yep, but I think you’ll figure it out in time,” Jax said. “Well I’ve got to go, Bri is asking me to help her with her dress for the joining.”
Nall watched Jax leave. Inside he knew what Jax was talking about. The one thing that she did not seem to know was the person he really liked did not want to seem to talk to him. He had gone over everything that he had said or done and could not think of anything that could have caused it. Maybe it was something different in the culture of the two groups that he had not known.
Deciding that there was more work to be done he left to make sure that his formal dress uniform was ready for the joining. For now he would concentrate on making sure that this was a good day for Bri and Troy.
*****
Jax walked up to where Rebecca was sitting. The voyage back to Earth had been quite normal and now they were just moments away from the joining. Jax had noticed that Rebecca had not done anything lately and after talking with everyone she knew about her and Nall she had it figured out. Now she just had to get Rebecca to the joining to see everything. For some reason Rebecca thought that Bri and Nall were getting joined. Sure Jax could just tell Rebecca that Bri was joining Troy but where was the fun in that.
“Hey,” Jax said sitting down next to Rebecca. “You staying here all day?”
“Why not, seems like a good idea to me,” Rebecca said.
“You do know that a joining is taking place right, and that you have been invited by the groom,” Jax said to her.
“Wonderful,” Rebecca said. The last thing she wanted to do was go to this joining. What did that small blonde have that she did not? It was the question that had been going around in her mind for a while now.
“I think it will cheer you up a bit, in fact if it doesn’t I’ll do whatever you want me to do,” Jax said with confidence.
“That’s a pretty tall order there if it doesn’t,” Rebecca said. Perhaps she could go just so she could leave earlier. “All right, fine I’ll go, but don’t expect a miracle.”
“Great,” Jax said. “I’ll meet you back here in a bit then.”
Jax walked out to get ready for the wedding. She had her formal uniform laid out already. But first she would make a detour and see if Troy was around anywhere. She did not have to look too far to find him.
“So, how’s the groom,” Jax said as she walked in. Troy was the only one in the room at the moment.
“Nervous, how’s that,” he said putting the final touches on his outfit, including the medals he had won over the years.
“I do have some good news,” Jax said. “I convinced Rebecca to come.”
“Really, did you tell her that I invited her,” Troy said. “For some reason she doesn’t like Bri that much.”
“Yeah, she thinks that Bri is marrying Nall,” Jax said.
“What,” Troy said turning to look at Jax. “You’re serous. Did you tell her who the wedding was for?’
“Nope, this should be fun,” Jax said with a smile.
“And here I thought Nall was the one with a sick sense of humor,” Troy said with a groan.
“It should be fun especially at the beginning of the ceremony,” Jax said grinning even more.
“Great,” Troy said knowing that at the beginning of the ceremony that Bri would be with Nall. He was going to be the one giving Bri away to him. Usually a family member does that but most of the crew were orphans so a close friend would stand in instead.
“Well I need to get going. I picking her up at the rec room,” Jax said. “And I need to change so I’ll see you later.”
*****
Bri looked at herself in the mirror for about the hundredth time wondering if the dress looked all right. She fussed with the sleeves again as if to make them look better or something.
“You look fine,” Renee said from where she was standing watching Bri.
“Are you sure,” Bri asked as a part of her insecure personally came out. “You don’t think I should have gone with the other dress do you?”
“No, and even if I did there is no time for you to change,” Renee said to the nervous bride. Glancing at the time she noticed that they would need to get going. “You look great,” Renee said. “Now we need to get going if we are to make it on time.”
“Its time,” Bri said her eyes widening at the thought. She was going to be joined in a few moments from now and she was scared stiff.
“Bri, you’re going to do just fine. It perfectly reasonable for you to be nervous as well, but remember we’re all friends here and we all know how much you two love each other,” Renee said. “Troy is not going to back out either.”
“How did you know that’s what I was thinking,” Bri asked.
“Your joining isn’t the first one I’ve been to Bri,” Renee said with a chuckle. “I think it’s normal.”
“All right,” Bri said as she followed Renee out of the room and towards the ceremony room of the Argo.
*****
Jax led Rebecca into the room where there were several people standing around. It was unlike a wedding on Earth where everyone was sitting down. In the center of the room stood the commander of the Argo, Ares, along with Troy and Nall. It appeared that Bri had not shown up just yet.
Troy noticed that Nall had already spotted Rebecca walking into the room. He nudged him a bit to gain his attention. Nall looked over to look at Troy and what he wanted.
“Why don’t you just talk with her after the joining,” Troy said in a whisper.
“Yeah right, she won’t talk to me and I don’t know why,” Nall said.
“Well according to Jax that’s because she thinks your joining with Bri,” Troy said.
“What,” Nall said in shock at what he had just been told. He wanted to march on over there and talk to her but it was that moment that Bri walked into the room. She walked over to him and took his hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek while whispering thanks to him.
Nall did not have much time to think about everything as it was now his duty. He listened to Ares while he went thought the opening of the ceremony. He then got to the point where it was his part of the ceremony.
“Who here gives Gabrielle to be joined,” Ares said.
“I do,” Nall said proudly. He took Bri’s hand and placed it into Troy’s.
Jax watched Rebecca as at first she looked like she wanted to leave to a strange confused look on her face. She turned to Jax and asked her a question. “I thought Nall was marrying Bri,” she whispered.
“Bri’s marrying Troy, Nall is giving Bri away,” Jax replied then turned back to the ceremony.
Troy and Bri were too busy concentrating on each other to notice what was going on between Nall and Rebecca. Both of them were nervous about everything. The vows then came and each of them made their promise of devotion and love to each other and the group.
“I now pronounce you sealed forever in this life and the next,” Ares said as he laid his hand on top of theirs. “You may kiss your wife.”
Cheers went up as Troy bent down a bit to kiss Bri. When they finally broke apart Troy circled his arms around his wife. He felt very happy about how his life was turning out right now and realized that accepting this mission was the best thing he had ever done.
*****
The group broke up a bit to celebrate with the newly joined couple. Jax watched Rebecca as Nall made his way over to where Rebecca was standing.
“Hi,” Nall finally said as he came up to her. He was not sure what to expect from her.
“I think I owe you a bit of an apology by the way I acted,” Rebecca said. She had really thought that Nall was going to be marrying Bri. “I thought that you and Bri were getting joined.”
“So you’re saying that you like me,” Nall asked hoping that the answer would be yes.
“Yes, I guess that’s why I was so jealous of her,” Rebecca said. “You seemed so friendly with her and yet with me you seem to be someone else.”
“Don’t get me wrong but I do love Bri, it was just never returned the way I wanted it,” Nall said turning to see where Troy and Bri were standing. “I was my cocky self and she shot me down. I guess you can look at it like this, I can tell her anything and she will still be my friend. I guess she sees me as a brother.”
“Oh, then all of that stuff between you that I saw,” Rebecca asked.
“Its how we always act towards each other,” Nall said.
“You two are weird then,” Rebecca said.
“And I’ll be the first on to agree with you,” a voice said from behind them. They turned around and saw Troy and Bri standing there. “I think I can understand how you feel though,” Troy said looking at Rebecca.
“You can,” she said not sure if he would or not.
“Yep, I was crazy about Bri from the moment I met her. But the way she and Nall reacted to each other I thought that they were lovers or something,” Troy said. “It’s a strange relationship that is for sure.”
“Then you’re not after him in any way,” Rebecca said looking at Bri.
“Nope, I found my warrior,” Bri replied putting an arm around Troy’s waist looking up at him. “And I couldn’t be happier.”
“That goes for me too,” Troy said giving his wife another peck on the lips.
“Then I’ve got a chance with you,” Rebecca said looking at Nall.
“More than a chance,” Nall replied looking back at Rebecca.
“So,” a female voice said causing them to look. Jax was standing there looking at Rebecca. “Do you feel better now?”
“Yeah, I do,” Rebecca said knowing that she had a chance with Nall.
“Good,” Jax said then walked over to congratulate Bri and Troy.
Troy felt like he had been congratulated by everyone on the ship by the number of people who had come by. He was beginning to want some time alone with his new wife. Robert and Ares came walking up to where they were standing.
“Well, congratulations,” Ares said.
“Thank you sir,” Troy said.
“You know, I have a feeling that your parents would be proud,” Ares said
“I know that they would,” Troy said taking a look at Bri.
“We’ve come a long way,” Ares said looking around. There were a few earthers in the group which only made what had happened to them seem more real. “And there is still a lot more to do.”
“I think we can relax for a day or two sir,” Troy said.
“I think we can as well,” Ares said turning to Robert.
“Here,” Robert said handing Troy a piece of paper. Troy looked at it for a few moments before Robert explained. “Its traditional for a new wed couple on Earth to go on a honeymoon. They take a few days and are by themselves.”
Troy looked at Robert then back at Ares wondering if he was hearing what he thought he was hearing. They were giving him permission to have some time off.
“It was my idea,” Ares said. “We all deserve some time off and well with you just having been sealed it seemed a perfect time for you to have time off.”
“Thank you sir,” Troy said. “We’ll enjoy it.”
*****
Troy and Bri stood on the balcony of the hotel room on Earth. They had gone to a place called Hawaii for their honeymoon. They could see the ocean waves as a few of the locals had long slender boards and were riding the waves back to shore. Most did not make it but a few did. The temperature was not too warm as Bri settled into Troy’s arms.
“This should be nice,” she said to him.
“Yep,” Troy said as he wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing but you and me for an Earth week.”
They both knew that a new mission would be waiting for them once they got back to the ship. That could wait for now. For the next secton it would be just the two of them.
“Come on, there’s a nice bed waiting,” Bri said as she turned around to look at Troy.
“Sounds good to me,” Troy said as then went inside to begin their own celebration.
End Part 18