Chapter Seven

Why did she object to marrying the man on Terra Nova? She said it wasn't "safe." What did that mean? Perhaps safe in the Terran language didn't mean the same as it did in Caradonian? What if she changes her mind and decides she wants him after all?

Bright and early, Krogan went to work as usual. Upon entering his office at the capital, he'd been hit with one crisis after another— pretty much a routine day. In between putting out fires and meeting with the bioengineering team to get them working on a new antiviral, he thought of Hope.

He'd been a little bit… surprised …to discover she no more desired to be married to him than he did to her. He'd accepted her explanation at first but then started to wonder if maybe it had just been an excuse. Perhaps she was covering her disappointment after hearing his terms. Or something about him personally had put her off. She'd grown noticeably cooler toward him throughout the evening. His own mother had abandoned him—why would a beautiful young woman wh o already had a suitor desire him? Love—giving or receiving—was not possible for him.

Then again, maybe he and Hope did share something in common. Perhaps, like himself, she had no desire to ever marry anyone . In that case, they were a perfect match.

He was anxious to get the legalities over with. Then I can relax—get on with my life. He had to develop a cure for the nano-virus then resume development of a chain of employment training and opportunity centers and launch the upward mobility reward program to motivate people to take action and better their lives.

Too many people accept their lot as fate. They ignore or don't recognize the choices open to them. They don't understand they alone hold the power to change their lives. It wasn't easy to break away from the surface. But, having done it, he knew it was possible with hard work and perseverance. He had to instill in his people the belief in their own potential.

His wrist buzzed with a five-minute warning. He'd set an alarm so he wouldn't be late getting to the officiant. Before leaving for work, he'd given Hope the coordinates to the office and explained how to use the vaporator .

"Ready to go?" Vorgol poked his head into his office. On impulse, he'd asked his second-in-command and the closest thing he had to a friend to stand up with him at the ceremony. Besides, Vorgol had gotten him into this mess, so it was only fair that he'd be forced to attend.

"I'm looking forward to meeting Hope," Vorgol said.

"You'll see her soon enough at the ceremony."

"We're not picking her up?"

"No, she's meeting us there."

Vorgol gave a little frown.

"What?"

"Her being new on the planet and all, I would have thought you'd escort her."

"She was chipped. I explained how to concentrate and transmit the current to the vaporator. She's a smart, capable woman. I'm busy. It is more efficient to meet there." They stepped into the vaporator. It sealed.

"But not romantic. She's your bride."

"You know why I'm doing this."

"That doesn't mean you couldn't benefit personally."

They emerged onto the corridor leading to the officiant's office. Hope wasn't here yet, but he'd intended to arrive before her to avoid a repeat of his earlier mistake. Three Caradonian-human couples waited outside the office. They appeared happy, excited.

They didn't waste any time making it official. But then, neither had he. Hope's reservations about the union had spurred him to secure an appointment before she changed her mind.

"It's heartening to see young couples," Vorgol said. "Almost like the old days."

Before the pandemic, weddings had to be booked months in advance. Only rare second marriages among older couples occurred these days.

"After the next day or two, it will return to the new normal." Too nervous to sit, he leaned against the wall, away from the occupied benches. He didn't wish to be noticed today. Fortunately, the couples were too wrapped up in each other to pay him any attention.

Vorgol shook his head. "Not necessarily. A hundred women will arrive in two weeks. Over two hundred at the first of next month. As soon as you enrolled, men started signing up. We haven't had any problems recruiting human mates either."

A grinning couple emerged from the office. The bride carried a small bundle of flowers in one hand and hugged the arm of her new husband with the other. The three human women waiting held similar bouquets. Two women wore white dresses. The glowing bride and the remaining brides-to-be wore cream. A feeling of unease nibbled at him.

The married couple passed by. "Congratulations!" Vorgol said.

"Yes, congratulations," he repeated.

Vorgol waited until they were out of earshot before he whispered, "Human women find our men pleasing in appearance. ‘Hot and studly,' was one of the comments. I think that means attractive."

The officiant's assistant stepped outside. "Torvak and Melanie Harkens!"

A couple leaped up from the bench and followed him into the office.

What did Hope think of him? He doubted she saw him as "hot and studly." His tardiness had probably left a bad first impression.

"There's a waiting list of females eager to marry our men," Vorgol continued.

"That's good news," he said, and meant it. But what were the odds he'd receive the exception, the lone woman who wasn't the least bit eager? What if he'd wanted it to be real? Hope was perfect for him—albeit for all the wrong reasons.

"Once these couples start going public—once everyone sees you and Hope together—Caradonian/human matrimony is going to explode. We'll need to see about extending the marriage ceremony hours," Vorgol suggested. "Or do some group weddings."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. "Why don't you take care of that?"

"Will do."

What was keeping Hope? She was only one minute late, but it took just seconds to vaporate from one place to another.

"What is she like?"

There were so many ways to describe her; a flood of images and words rushed through his mind. She was complex, he realized. A mystery. She aroused his curiosity. Around her, he felt like he was walking across a thin wire stretched between two cloudtoppers on a windy day. And then there was the physical. He'd never met a more attractive woman in his life.

"Well?" Vorgol stared at him.

"She is hot and studly. "

Torvak and Melanie emerged from the office duly married, judging from their smiles.

"Jatto and Hana Sato," called the assistant.

The next couple disappeared into the office. Only one other couple remained. Where is she? What if she's not coming? What if she changed her mind? She could claim bad faith. She has cause—even though she said she felt the same way. She's just late. Maybe she's making me wait because I was late getting to the spaceport.

"We should have picked her up," Vorgol said.

Damn the man.

"She'll be here." He felt sick.

Ten minutes later, the final couple got married and left. There was no sign of his bride.

"Krogan and Hope Bennett!" the assistant called.

"I'm afraid my bride hasn't arrived yet," he said.

"She has fifteen minutes to get here, and then we close," the assistant said.

"Don't you know who this is?" Vorgol said. "This is Governor-General Krogan. You can't wait a few extra minutes?"

"No, it's all right," he said. He never asked for special treatment. And what would be the point? She isn't coming at all .

Right on time, fifteen minutes later, the officiant and his assistant locked up for the day and vaporated away.