Escaping the Cradle

by Karen Page

Part 54

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Part 54
DATE:FC+314

Ashleigh tried not to stress as she finished getting ready. Her hair was done. Her makeup was perfection. And the dress was stunning. Her mother had said, "If you plan to get married, you might as well make it a day to cherish," and that is what was happening.

It wasn't their first choice. They'd spoken with the local vicar about getting married at the local church. He was almost in tears when he'd told them he wasn't allowed to. Church law forbade it, and it was also stipulated in the Marriage Act. However, he did point them to a local manor house that did them.

They'd often driven past the place on the outskirts of Elmore, but they never ventured in. When Ashleigh was young, it was a private house. As soon as they drove down the long drive and saw the house, they fell in love with the place.

"You've never been one to go by halves," Ashleigh's dad said, his face full of pride. His charcoal morning suit made him look regal and ageless. "You love with all your heart, and I'm proud you waited and found your true love."

Ashleigh blushed. She'd been so nervous when they'd told her parents they'd got engaged, but they hadn't seemed surprised. Then when they told them that they'd set a wedding date, her father had pulled her to one side.

"I don't want to seem cruel, but shouldn't you wait until she's post-op? That rally exposed her as pre-op."

Ashleigh had wanted to shout that it was none of his business, but when she looked up, she saw he wasn't being judgemental. He was looking at her with care and love. "She now is post-op. But that made no difference to me. I've loved her since I was a teenager. What's under her clothes was an issue for her, not me. It never has been."

He smiled ruefully. "I know. And in spite of your early upbringing, you showed us the way to love and acceptance. I'm so sorry we pushed her away when you first found each other."

"You've already apologised for that, and Becky has accepted it. Move on. She has."

Tina saying something brought her back to today.

"Sorry?" Ashleigh said. "I was miles away."

"Thinking about your honeymoon already?" Tina teased.

"I still don't know where we're going. Becky said it was a surprise. All she said was that we were going somewhere on Earth."

"If you'd said that a year ago, I would have thought you'd lost it. Now, it seems to be just another phrase. Somewhere in the Caribbean. Somewhere on the Alfare, the Alphonian home-world. Somewhere on Earth."

"You were saying something before that?"

"Oh yes. The bridesmaids are ready."

"And the guests?"

"All in place. I hear Becky is ready."

Ashleigh's dad spoke up, "It is such a shame her parents didn't get to see this marriage. They were strong and honourable people."

Ashleigh nodded, her heart feeling for the loss Becky would feel that day. "They were. But if they are watching on from heaven, I'm sure they are proud of her." She then turned to Tina. "Is my Matron of Honour ready?"

"I am," Tina sighed. "Though I prefer the 'wise one'. Matron makes me sound so old."

"You were the first of us to get married."

Tina gave her secret smile. It was something Ashleigh had grown to recognise over the last year, and Ashleigh wondered if there was something Tina wasn't telling them about her marriage.

There was no time for interrogation, as she took her father's arm, and they slowly made their way to the wedding. Kelly was waiting at the bottom of the long sweeping staircase, so Tina took the train and made sure Ashleigh didn't trip.

"Are Jenny and Reggie with Becky?" Ashleigh asked Kelly, when she eventually reached the bottom.

She nodded and rushed to join Tina.

Regina or more often affectionately called Reggie was a name born out of frustration by Kelly. Reginadde had names, but they were personal things, only shared with their mate or life partner. Kelly had got frustrated at knowing how to refer to her friend, and called her Reggie. It shocked all those in attendance, but since it wasn't her real name, it eventually seemed to be adopted. Her grandfather, the Reginadde ambassador to the Rohastin Council was quite philosophical about it. Names were important to humans, so if an alias or nickname worked, then so be it.

"Are you ready?" asked the event coordinator.

"Yes."

He signalled into the room, and Ashleigh heard the faint sound of the grand piano. Alongside her father, she moved forward in time with the gentle motif drifting from the grand piano.

She could see straight through the aisle, and approaching from the other side, was Becky. They hadn't seen each other's dresses, and she had to will herself not to cry. Becky looked stunning, holding onto Evan's arm as he escorted her in. Each bride approaching, and if everything went to plan, they would cross the threshold into the room at the same time.

As they both entered the room, the repeating notes got slightly more energetic. It was still the same pace, but there were more flourishes in it. The volume also seemed to increase slightly the closer they came. Ashleigh and Becky stared at each other as they stepped in unison ever closer.

They reached the centre, with only the registrar separating them, and the music stopped. Silence filled the room.

The wedding party froze. The bridesmaids still holding the wedding dress train.

The registrar put a hand on Becky's left hand, and her other on Ashleigh's right. "Welcome."

With the spell broken, the bridesmaids made sure the dresses were perfect and went to sit down. Tina took Jenny, and Kelly went to sit with her parents. Reggie's parents were sitting looking proudly at their daughter on the front row. Special chairs had been brought with them so they would be comfortable.

"I love you," Ashleigh's father whispered to her, before also sitting down next to Evan.

The registrar waited until everyone was seated and positioned herself behind the table setup for the ceremony. Ashleigh and Becky moved together and joined hands. "On behalf of the registrar's department, we want to welcome everyone to celebrate the marriage of Ashleigh and Becky. My name is Pru and my colleague is Noel. He will be making a permanent and historic record of the ceremony and producing your marriage certificate."

There was no mention of the aliens in the audience. The registrar had met them before the start of the ceremony, so there was no shock on seeing them. Since there had been photographs and news reports, seeing one for the first time was still a surprise, but it didn't seem to scare them.

"I pronounce you, wife and wife," Pru concluded and as she uttered those words a lightning bolt flashed through the sky and the instant crash of thunder roared. It was overhead. "The brides may kiss."

Ashleigh smiled at the slight tweak to the standard words spoken at the ceremony. They didn't need any more prompting than that. They faced each other, Becky blushing slightly. Ashleigh put her hands on Becky's waist, and they leaned in for that kiss.

As always, it was soft, gentle and sweet. Yet there was something a bit more. For a few seconds she forgot they had an audience and then it hit her. They couldn't kiss like that. Not now. Becky must have had the same thought as the kiss became simpler, less intense and they separated. The world reappeared and she heard the sound of applause.

They smiled shyly at each other before turning to gaze at their friends. They'd been so focused on each other, that they hadn't looked at the guests as they approached the registrar. Then during the service, they were looking away from them.

The room was packed. Family. Friends from work. Friends from extended work. Friends from close by. Friends from far away. Human and non-humans sitting together to witness and celebrate their marriage. There was Reggie with her parents. The diplomatic doctors. Even a few from the Rohastin Council. There was someone they hadn't seen before sitting next to the Alphonian and Reginadde ambassadors. It was a species she'd not seen, and she'd seen a lot while visiting the Rohastin station.

Kelly and her parents sat together. James was with Laura, both their hands over her pregnant belly. Evan, Liam and Henry all sat together, dateless as usual. Sam and Jessica beaming as if this was the best wedding they'd ever attended. The only friends who'd not been able to attend were those that might compromise their jobs, and they were watching online.

Then there was family. Ashleigh's parents, Caroline with her husband and son, Tina and her husband Luke. They were all there. All proud and happy. Hung up on the wall was a large photograph of Becky's parents, put there for the occasion. There in memory.

Pru watched on. She loved this part of her job. Marriages were such happy occasions. All full of hope for the future. She'd heard of Becky and Star Bright; there probably weren't many that hadn't. But she hadn't realised how that couple had brought humans and aliens together. For them to want to come and celebrate their union was one thing, but they didn't seem to be there out of obligation. Nobody seemed to be there just because they'd been asked.

"Do you want to sign the register?" Pru gently prompted.

They moved to Noel, who had the register. Tina and Evan joined them, as they would be the two witnesses. The gentle notes of the piano drifted through the room, giving some entertainment to the guests as the legal necessities were completed.

"Congratulations Mrs and Mrs Head," Noel said as they reached his table. Ashleigh had asked if she could take Becky's surname for the simple reason of matching Jenny's. She didn't want Jenny to feel like she wasn't part of the new family.

Noel was privately glad it was two human witnesses. He wasn't sure what the legalities would have been if one of the aliens had been chosen.

As the service concluded, the wind was still howling, and rain was falling as if someone had fully turned on a tap. The photographer decided to make use of the historic building. Groups on stairs seemed to be his favourite shot.

"Why do they call it a wedding breakfast?" asked Jenny as they made their way to where they would eat.

"Well, breakfast is the first meal of the day," Becky explained. "A wedding breakfast is the first meal after the wedding."

"Oh," Jenny said, like someone had shown them the fount of knowledge.

Since not everybody, meaning the aliens, would know what they liked, the food was laid out buffet style. Shinara saw the salmon, and she made sure she took that. She took a little of other things, just so she could try them. Being the only alien to have tried British food, she regaled her experiences to her colleagues. There were no eggs.

Sitting at long tables made it difficult to talk with all the guests, so when the main meal was finished, people got up to mingle.

"I'm Ashleigh," she said to the alien she'd never met. "I don't think we've been introduced."

He looked at her. "You twist Hytuna into ways you speak your native language. The words are there, but we still can't understand."

Ashleigh didn't know how else to put it. "Everybody else was invited. You weren't. Why are you here?"

"To watch. To see."

That made no sense. "Who are you?"

He paused for a moment. "I'm an oracle."

Ashleigh noticed that this conversation was being watched. The other aliens had stopped what they were doing as if this was something very important.

"Is this to do with The Prophecy?" Ashleigh said, sounding a bit exasperated. She was thinking of the film The Matrix and the oracle in that. "The Trinity?"

"Yes." It was almost reverent.

"Becky is the saviour." Ashleigh quoted, having heard it several times.

"Yes. Becky is the saviour. As your Prime Minister said. She is our saviour; she is one of the Trinity. She understood. The first to phrase it so ... perfectly."

Ashleigh started rocking slightly. This was surreal and she really wanted another glass of wine. "Becky created Aurora and saved humanity as it reached beyond. Our Saviour makes it sound like she's yours as well."

"The Trinity is not about humanity. It is about The Rohastin ... and beyond. "

Ashleigh did grab her wine glass and took a big gulp.

"On her own, Becky might break. It is a strong possibility. But with you, that never happens. Together, you enable her to do what she does. You enable events like today."

"And Jenny?" Ashleigh whispered, unsure if she really wanted to know.

He considered, and the other aliens seemed to lean in. "She is The Knot."

She wanted to know what that meant, as did the rest of the people listening, but The Oracle wouldn't say more. "This was what was wrong with the Yvestigans. They got frightened by their prophecy about humanity and the role your Prime Minister has. They tried to stop it, which made it actually happen. Becky has always been The Saviour and you The Enabler a long time before you found out about it and before others knew what it meant."

Ashleigh didn't know what to say, and was glad Becky and Jenny were not in hearing distance.

"How are we helping the Rohastin?"

"We are islands. We float beside one another, but we do not touch. Species join the Rohastin, but it never grew. Each species stayed isolated. We meet and help, but there is no change. We don't trade. Our cultures don't mix. We don't help each other to grow. The first thing humans did was come to a council meeting. They stood in the circle. You asked about trade. You desired communication. You were interested about each species as well as the Rohastin."

Ashleigh thought about the shops and how they only sold clothes to their own species. Restaurants sold many types of food, but she wondered if they only ate their own styles.

Ashleigh wasn't able to ask more before he added, "If you are quick, you should have time to have your slice of cake before your friend goes fully into labour. She has been ignoring the signs for the last two hours."

A hand stopped her getting up. It was Vers'am, the Alphonian ambassador. "You can't let The Oracle steer you. If you do, you will fall into the same trap as the Yvestigans."

Ashleigh hesitated, and a few seconds later, there was a wail from Laura. Her waters had broken.

The waiter explained that the wind had blown several trees down on the country road. The only route to the hospital was blocked.

"I know I should have brought Eos instead of driving," James muttered.

"How far apart are your contractions?" Tina asked.

"Every five minutes. But it's my first child. I thought it took longer."

Tina, like Luke, had some medical training. When they were on an investigation they were often on their own. Laura had insisted they knew certain things, just in case. Delivering a baby wasn't one of them.

"That's when I went to hospital," Caroline said. "They told me when they got to every five minutes, that was active labour."

Laura gave a moan as another contraction arrived.

Becky and Ashleigh stifled their laughter. If aliens at the wedding didn't make it memorable, Laura going into labour certainly would.

"What about your ships?" Tina asked the aliens. "Could you jump us to a hospital?"

The Reginadde doctor said, "We don't know what would happen if you jumped during such a delicate time. I wouldn't risk it."

"Then she gives birth here," Ashleigh said. "We will use the room I got ready in. There is a bed. If the mattress gets ruined, we'll replace it. James, are you strong enough to carry Laura?"

He didn't have to. Ade, the bodyguard came up and scooped her into his arms. He'd been standing outside that room earlier and knew exactly where it was.

Ashleigh gave a small squeak. She'd forgotten about them. They were so discreet she often didn't know they were there.

A plastic makeup gown was laid on the bed, with several towels that housekeeping rushed through. In the room was Laura with James holding her hand, Tina and all five of the diplomatic doctors.

Everyone not in the room gathered on the landing to wait for news. Tina had got in touch with the labour ward, and details of what to do were relayed, with Tina translating to Hytuna. Suddenly a piercing cry was heard, and Ashleigh could not hold her emotions in any longer. She burst into happy tears.

Clive Brown remarked, "This has to be the liveliest wedding I've ever been to."

Ten minutes later, James came out of the room, carrying the baby, wrapped in a large towel. "Everybody, I'd like you to meet Justin Taylor, named after Laura's late uncle."

It was three hours before the storm died down enough for a medical helicopter to collect Laura and baby Justin. James went with them, not wanting to let either of them out of his sight.

An hour later, the roads began to open. Local farmers wielded chainsaws and used their tractors to remove the tree trunks. The highways department had been too busy with the major routes to do the country lanes.

"I can take you to your destination," Sam said, not giving away the location to Ashleigh. "James has signed off both Tina and I for planetary hops."

"Tina and Luke are looking after Jenny while we are away," Becky pointed out.

"Hence why I offered. James parked Eos at your new office. He said it was quicker to take Laura home from there than going all the way to the factory."

"Thanks Sam," Ashleigh said, giving him a smile. "You really are something. We'll meet you there in about thirty minutes. We need to say bye to Jenny, and the other guests."

Hand in hand, the two newlyweds made their way around each guest, thanking them for coming.

"Are human weddings always this exciting?" asked Reggie's mother.

Becky laughed. "No, but Laura always likes to make an extra effort when there are special guests."

The joke didn't translate well, and Reginaddes weren't famed for their sense of humour. Reggie, though, had spent longer talking with Jenny and Kelly and explained to her parents it was human humour.

Eventually they finished the goodbyes and slipped out of the front door to their car. Thankfully it had sustained no damage in the storm that lashed the area.

"I saw you having a deep conversation with the mystery guest," Becky mentioned as Ashleigh drove them down the drive. Their suitcases were still in the boot, ready for their short honeymoon.

"He described himself as an oracle. Vers'am called him The Oracle."

Becky groaned, and Ashleigh was glad she was driving and not Becky. "Not that Trinity nonsense, was it?"

"Yes. But most of it was no more than we already knew. You they describe as Our Saviour. I'm what they call the Enabler. He described it in a bit more depth, and it wasn't anything we weren't already doing long before we'd heard these terms. It didn't make us. They are just describing who we are."

"Did they mention Jenny?"

Ashleigh took a deep breath. She didn't know how Becky would take this. "Yes. He described her as The Knot. He wouldn't elaborate on what it meant."

Becky was quiet. Ashleigh reached over and gently stroked Becky's leg. "Look. We've done our part. You've created Aurora and Eos. We've got communications with the Rohastin Council. We've launched a series of satellites to help. And in a month, the world will vote."

Becky was silent for a bit and eventually said, "You're right. We've done our bit. Whatever happens next will be for someone else. For the next few days, it will just be me and you. No aliens, no work, no special projects. Just me and you. I love you Ashleigh Head."