[story] With this station-ring...

[robkelk]

It appears that it is possible for a modded person and an unmodded person to have children together, at least if it's a minor biomod. I was approached by the expectant mother (who is in her early second trimester) last week for medical advice. It's still too early to tell whether the child will inherit the mother's biomod, but both parents have agreed to let this pregnancy be written up for the medical journals so look there for more information over the next seven months.

Gina's going to be keeping *very* close tabs on this, to the point of having an RSS feed in her field of vision.

Consider this the RSS feed, then...

---

Infirmary office
Stellvia
11:52 GMT 20 February 2014

"You're WHAT???"

Leda smiled. "We have been having sex every night for the last five weeks, Noah."

"Every night since Boskone Prime fell, yes. But you're on the Pill."

A.C. put her datapadd onto the nurse's desk. "It seems Leda's biomod interfered with the artificial hormones. She was taking the Pill, but she wasn't protected."

Noah took a deep breath, then released it five seconds later. "Well. Outside of the three of us, who knows?"

"Nobody." A.C. looked slightly cross. "I treat doctor/patient confidentiality very seriously. You know that, Noah."

"I also know that everybody in your crew knew my medical history right after the Crystal Paris incident."

A.C. blushed. "Well, we are all pretty close to being an extended family."

"And that's the only reason I didn't yell at you when I found out." Noah grinned for a moment. Then he continued, completely seriously. "Please don't tell anybody else. Anybody. If Andy or Greenpeace or Kohran or anyone else were to tell Sora that Leda and I have been sharing a bed, she might not take it well."

"You think our oldest daughter has a 'father complex'?"

"No, I think she's still loyal to Yoriko."

Nobody said anything for a moment.

Finally, Noah turned to Leda. "The two of us have a decision to make. Well, you have a decision to make, but I'm involved ..."

Leda kissed Noah to shut him up. "We may not have planned for this yet, but that doesn't matter. I'm not getting an abortion. Unless A.C. tells me carrying the baby to term would put my or its life at risk."

"It won't," A.C. offered, "unless something goes drastically wrong in the next eight months. And the baby's a 'she', not an 'it'."

"A girl?" Noah sighed happily. "Story of my life. Well, I'm not going to let my daughter grow up without a father, if I can help it."

A.C. grinned. "As far as I can see, you've got one option left. When's the ceremony?"

Engineering laboratory
Stellvia
19:33 GMT 23 February 2014

"Noah, exactly what are you doing?"

"Planning for our daughter's future. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Getting ready to build another android. Couldn't you just hire a nanny?"

Noah shook his head. "We'll have no problem finding a nanny. I'd bet Greenpeace would love the job, and if she wouldn't, there's hundreds of people Up who know just how precious children are, now. No, this is our daughter's tutor."

"And why does she need a tutor?"

"Do you see any schools around here, not counting the ones on Earth? Tell you what: if a school opens up before she's ready to attend it, I'll suggest to ... whoever this is going to be ... that she apply to the teaching staff. Otherwise, she'll have a job here."

Leda thought for a moment. "I guess that'll work. But why start building her now?"

"It takes a while for one of my androids to wake up for the first time. I want to make sure she's ready before she's needed."

"Oh. Okay. Now for the important question: who is she?"

Noah frowned. "That's the tricky part. Most of the fictional meganekko teachers I know of are nymphomaniacs; having somebody like Mitsuka Yoshimine or Saori Shikijo on staff would be a distraction for whoever they were sleeping with and bad for the morale of whoever they weren't. Mizuho Kazami might be good, but she's a high-school teacher; I'd rather somebody who has experience with all grades and subjects."

"Somebody who's a substitute teacher, then?"

"Yes, exactly. But who ... Oh, of course! And I hear The Jason and some of the Supers are playing with simulating some metahuman powers with Trekkie holotech. I think we can make this work ... but our budget for paper is going to go through the roof."

Habitat Module #1
Old Ring, Stellvia
7:26 GMT 1 March 2014

"You asked WHO???"

"And why shouldn't I ask her? She's our friend."

"It's her other friends that I don't want to see ever again. And you know they'll come with her; the five of them are inseperable."

"Noah, it's long past time you made peace with them."

"But ..."

"She's already accepted, and Judy's already tailored her bridesmaid dress."

"But ..."

"You're rich enough that you can buy me almost anything I want, so the material things you give me don't matter as much as the favours. Give me this as a wedding present, please."

"But ..."

Leda scowled. "No more 'buts'! Noah Scott Anderson, you will let Mikuru Asahina be one of my bridesmaids."

"This is so important to you that you'd use my old 'daneside name?" She nodded, and he sighed. "All right, Leda Sosipatra Swansen. Mikuru can be in the wedding party. But in return, please never use my full name in public. Let everyone keep thinking 'Scott' is my family name."

"As long as you don't call me 'Sosipatra' in public, either."

"Deal." They kissed, quickly.

Leda frowned for a moment. "Since you mentioned 'daneside ..."

"I've already made the arrangements. Your parents, your sisters, my father, my brother and his family should be on their way to Sydney even as I speak. They've got non-bumpable tickets on the next flight of the Ad Astra, so they should be here two days before the wedding."

Leda grinned, and they kissed again. Not quickly ...

---

And at this point I open the story to contributions. The wedding party is already set: Yayoi Fujisawa as Best Person, A.C. Peters, Jake Hansen, and Mal Fnord as ushers, Kohran Li as Maid of Honour, Patty O'Neill, Mikuru Asahina, and Sora Hasegawa as bridesmaids, and Safety as flower girl / ring bearer. (Mal and Sora by telepresence if necessary; they'll either be back in-system or close enough that there'll be no noticeable FTL lag, unless RL-Mal's planning something that'll keep the VVS at Delta Pavonis.) Maico Tange gets exclusive rights to cover the ceremony live, in order to keep paparazzi out; this will be enforced by Tachikomas.) And the wedding's going to be held on Saturday 15 March 2014.

A venue large enough to hold all the guests still needs to be chosen, though. Also, nobody's found a preacher yet. And who knows what else might happen...?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bob Schroeck]

"Do you see any schools around here, not counting the ones on Earth?

Hmm. Guess it's starting to get close to time to found the GC schools...

A venue large enough to hold all the guests still needs to be chosen, though.

As I recall, Noah and the Corners' folk are on good terms. How does Leda feel about an outdoor wedding? (Plus, both Luna and Nina would probably be eager to be flower girls.)

Also, nobody's found a preacher yet.

In Fenspace? There have to be hundreds of mail-order DODs among the Fen, even before we start looking for clergy of more "respectable" denominations. And why settle for just a priest? Every Erisian is a Pope -- hell, my avatar is certainly carrying the same http://appendix.23ae.com/pics/pope_card.jpg]"Bearer is a Genuine Pope" card that I do, for that matter.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Foxboy]

And never mind the grand tradition of a Ship's captain being able to perform a Wedding Ceremony, a service Captain Corcoran has performed at least six times with an up-close view of Saturn... At least one of which was aboard the Pearl Forrester with the minimum number of witnesses.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[robkelk]

As I recall, Noah and the Corners' folk are on good terms. How does Leda feel about an outdoor wedding?

Well, I didn't want to impose without asking first... (Gaia might get upset about having a few hundred people show up for a wedding, after all.)

(Plus, both Luna and Nina would probably be eager to be flower girls.)

Which lets Safety be just the ring-bearer. Sounds good to me! Ceremony's at Grover's Corners...

There have to be hundreds of mail-order DODs among the Fen, even before we start looking for clergy of more "respectable" denominations. And why settle for just a priest? Every Erisian is a Pope

And never mind the grand tradition of a Ship's captain being able to perform a Wedding Ceremony, a service Captain Corcoran has performed at least six times with an up-close view of Saturn... At least one of which was aboard the Pearl Forrester with the minimum number of witnesses.

This is why I've left that open - who wants the honour the most?

(No, Noah's not going to open a bidding war for the job; he's got more money than he knows what to do with, after all. In this case, diplomacy or fast-talking counts for more than deep pockets...)

Ah, and Cobalt e-mailed me a scene. I've added one line and one comma to it...

---

Judy's Tailoring Shop
Main Concourse, Stellvia
10:17 GMT 3 March 2014

Noah blinked. Twice. Then let out an impressed whistle.

"Now I see why you asked me along," Leda said. "Couldn't you..." She trailed off at A.C.'s look, and her brain pulled up A.C.'s biomod quirks. "Right."

"All in all," A.C. said as she twisted to check the fit, "this didn't turn out too badly."

"You look like the dealer for a high stakes poker game at a six-star casino." Noah told her. "How do you pull off the distractingly-sexy-but-formal look in the tux?"

"It's a knack." A.C. shrugged (distractingly, of course). She turned to the bride. "So. How much do I have to change? Don't want to overshadow the bride after all."

"Um..." Leda looked her up and down, considering. "Let me get back to you."

One quick change later, the three of them returned to the Old Ring.

"Guest list?" A.C. asked.

"Sorted. Finally." Leda sighed. "Although I'd prefer something better than A.C. Peters to put on there."

A.C. rolled her eyes in amusement. "What is it with you Senshi and trying to find out what the initials mean?"

"Before or after the accident?" Noah asked.

"Uh..." Leda trailed off.

"Great, you broke her, Noah." A.C. mock-huffed. "She wasn't paid for yet."

"Hey, you're the genius." Noah playfully whined. "You fix her."

"Well, I'd need an old telephone, a desktop calculator, a roll of duct tape, and some blueberry chewing gum."

Noah reached into his jacket pocket. "Here's the gum..."

"Hey!" Leda complained, to matching sniggers.

"Oh, by the way, I've brought a little something to help with your latest girl," A.C. told Noah.

"Really?" Noah looked guarded.

"People talk." A.C. ignored the look. "Anyway, you mentioned once that you wondered what it was like to be an android. It stuck in my head." Here both Noah and Leda snorted. "As an idle hobby I designed a tele-presence model that you could use, and great minds think alike for the appearance. I never built it, but I did have a go at replicating her abilities. And I figured, why carry around all that paper if you could make it? So I put together a bucky-paper synthesiser and some specialised spinnerets. Figure they might come in handy. If nothing else it'll keep your paper costs down."
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bob Schroeck]

Okay, now I have this weird hybrid image of Yomiko Readman and Spiderman in my head. That's just not right.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

(Gaia might get upset about having a few hundred people show up for a wedding, after all.)

She may get huffy, but we'll talk her down. No worries there.

who wants the honour the most?

I'm not seriously nominating my avatar, you should know. I was just pointing out the pool of candidates was likely larger than you'd imagined. Actually, I think it'd be best if Noah tapped someone from the Fenchurch, if only for world verisimilitude.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Feinan]

*chuckles* Oooh, a wedding. I love weddings.

*grin* Does Leda want anything in particular for her wedding flowers? I imagine that the Jason would be more than happy to help. Heart of the Storm roses for
her bouquet, or anything else? Orchids, roses...just name it, and it can probably be worked out.

[Black Aeronaut]

Need a DJ?

Just had some fun mental imagery using a handwaved iPod Touch to perform duties as a DJ. If you don't have any idea, the song Body Movin' by Beastie Boys had some help with this imagery.

Benjamin's Handwaved Ipod Touch

Has seemingly-infinite storage capacity for music and music only. Can easily transmit music to a larger soundsystem with stunning suround-sound quality.
Quirk: User apears as a black silhouette with clearly visible white earbuds. User must be dancing with the iPod for it to play music.

"Oh well, at least it'll be good at parties." -Jess

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Okay, now I have this weird hybrid image of Yomiko Readman and Spiderman in my head. That's just not right.

Which is something *I* didn't think about. Basically, the spinnerets form the sheets to be used. This includes weaving into them control elements so that the theoretical Yomiko could use inductive control to shape/stiffen/stick the sheets.

If A.C. was going to give Noah a remote to run around in, she's sure as hell going to make sure 'Yomiko' could handle 'herself'.

Although the idea of Yomiko in a Spidergirl outfit DOES have some appeal...

[Foxboy]

Ah, yes, the distraction problem some Boskones noticed during in-close fighting with the Senshi and the Free Catgirls...

Grace and flexibility unencumbered by the side effects of calligyny and excessive... *ahem* pulchritude.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[robkelk]

And never mind the grand tradition of a Ship's captain being able to perform a Wedding Ceremony, a service Captain Corcoran has performed at least six times with an up-close view of Saturn...

Speaking of, take a look at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090111.html]today's APOD - an up-close view of Saturn from the far side. Eeriely beautiful... Okay, back to the story.

Okay, now I have this weird hybrid image of Yomiko Readman and Spiderman in my head. That's just not right.

Yeah... I suppose the buckypaper-maker will have to go into her wheeled briefcase, then. (Which actually fits the source - she almost never seems to run out of paper when she has her briefcase with her.)

Although the idea of Yomiko in a Spidergirl outfit DOES have some appeal...

Mmmmmm... sexy adult bibliophile...

Grace and flexibility unencumbered by the side effects of calligyny and excessive... *ahem* pulchritude.

I thought we were talking about Yomiko Readman... (She might not be http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/temp/ro ... nenene.jpg]as... "talented"... as her best friend, but http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/temp/ro ... yomiko.png]she's definitely mammalian.)

What? Oh, right. Back to the story.

Need a DJ?

Hoping for a live band, actually. But if Blackstone &co. aren't available, the iDJ would be good.

Just, no playing songs about breaking up, okay? (The DJ at my cousin's wedding played I Will Survive. Luckily, the happy couple were out of the room at the time. I don't care if it's been co-opted into an anthem for a particular group; a song with those lyrics should not be played at a wedding reception, IMHO.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[robkelk]

Oh, missed one...

Does Leda want anything in particular for her wedding flowers? I imagine that the Jason would be more than happy to help. Heart of the Storm roses for her bouquet, or anything else? Orchids, roses...just name it, and it can probably be worked out.

She'd probably be happy with all four (five?) of the Heart roses. A big bunch of them, of course.

("'Bunch'? Bouquet. Big bouquet." At which point the Lectroid florist is shot.)

We'll also need an assortment of flowers for the tables at the reception... Something colourful, with petals that can be candied and eaten even by non-biomodded folks would be good. What can you help us with here?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Ebony]

robkelk wrote:

---

Need a DJ?

Hoping for a live band, actually. But if Blackstone &co. aren't available, the iDJ would be good.




Just, no playing songs about breaking up, okay? (The DJ at my cousin's wedding played I Will Survive. Luckily, the happy couple were out of the
room at the time. I don't care if it's been co-opted into an anthem for a particular group; a song with those lyrics should not be played at
a wedding reception, IMHO.)

Blackstone and Company (known officially by the end of Operation Great Justice as the Hong Kong Cavaliers) would insist on playing. Seriously. If
they weren't invited to play, they'd show up before the ceremony with their gear, ready for soundcheck. However, a DJ would still be good, since
they're not machines and would want to take breaks. Blackstone is the Samurai Magician Deejay, so he could do it himself, at least for part of the time. He
will refuse, outright, to play either "The Hokey Pokey" ("Last time I checked, this was a wedding, not a kid's birthday.") or "The
Chicken Dance."("No. Just... no.") He will concede to play "YMCA" if asked nicely.

Setlists would run across a broad range of music, and be submitted to the happy couple and wedding party beforehand. Blackstone would like to play "Since
I Don't Have You" (he makes it a regular solo piece during concerts, since it's Buckaroo and Peggy's Song), but concedes that it might be a
bit negative for the setting.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Bob Schroeck]

Mm. It is perhaps inevitable that my avatar will request "Hava Nagila". Just for the hell of it.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[robkelk]

Blackstone would like to play "Since I Don't Have You" (he makes it a regular solo piece during concerts, since it's Buckaroo and Peggy's Song), but concedes that it might be a bit negative for the setting.

Tell you what - make sure Noah and Leda aren't in the room, dedicate it to Yoriko, and you can play it.

In exchange, Noah'd like you to play "And I Love Her" while he and Leda are in the room...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Feinan]

We can do a big bouquet of all five Heart roses, yes. I've FINALLY got an idea for the Heart of the Soul. I'll post a write-up for it as soon as
I get my regular computer (with the fullsize keyboard) back from the shop. Maybe by tomorrow night, with luck. I'll want opinions on it.

As for the centerpieces...There are some flowers that are colorful and edible. Nasturtiums are a good choice, and easy to find. You can do a lot with them, too
- salads, little snacks, candied.... They come in a wide variety of colors, so you can have a lot of fun with that. I also love violets. Small flowers, yes,
but pretty...and they take well to being candied. Apple and plum blossoms, rose petals...there are lots of choices, none of them handwaved. And...I'm not
sure. I'll have to toss it up to the group, but I may well have tried to filter handwavium out of the actual flowers for the Soul rose though I'm not
sure if it'd be possible, given what I want it to do. If everybody is OK with it, then that could be candied as well...and that might be a bigger surprise
than even the Heart of the Land. See what you think when I get the write-up posted.

[Ebony]

Bob Schroeck wrote:

---

Mm. It is perhaps inevitable that my avatar will request "Hava Nagila". Just for the hell of it.

Hava nagila

Have two nagila

Have three nagila

They're rather small!
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Bob Schroeck]

And then, Scott's avatar may well do what he did at our wedding -- request "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights". The DJ had it, he
played it, and Peggy and I danced to it, even the end part.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Black Aeronaut]

Hong Kong Cavaliers with Benjamin Rhodes and his iDJ for backup. Sounds awesome. Shall we get a playlist together? Might I suggest "Waiting For A
Hero" by Bonnie Tyler? It'd probably be one of the pieces you might want Ben to handle with his iDJ since I'm not sure if any of the volcalists in
the Hong Kong Cavaliers has a set of pipes to handle that kind of piece. However, the dancing for that song might become rather acrobatic.

Hmmm... Musicians/Groups that I'm fond of (ones with songs appropriate for weddings):

Dashboard Confessional

David Bowie

The Beatles

I can compile a full list of songs later, but I think the vast majority of them is going to fall under those three artists. Not that there won't be
won't be any variety.

[Foxboy]

If Vulpine Fury is there, he can belt out a rather convincing "Rat Pack" version of "Fly Me to the Moon" as Frank, Sammy and Deano....
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[robkelk]

Well, it looks like music's covered. And the playlist will be divided into three sections: the stuff that it would be impolite to play while Noah and Leda are in the room while they're off getting changed from their formal outfits to more-casual clothes, the music that the happy couple can dance to, and the hokey all-request section after the newlyweds have left for... ummmmm... the Old Ring of Stellvia. Yeah, they're honeymooning at home. Really. Why would they lie?

(As to where they're really honeymooning... that's a secret. But smart money says Noah's too well-known on Earth, Leda's too well-known on Venus, and Saturn's too far from Stellvia for workaholic Noah to be comfortable vacationing there.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bob Schroeck]

I'm sure you have someplace in mind already, but the GC folks could always arrange a private cabin in the woods a quarter mile or so away from everyone
else...
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ECSNorway]

Or one in the Garden on Greenwood. Marsden has a couple of VIP guest houses there.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Feinan]

*laughs* Might as well offer space on the Yggdrasil as well. *grin* Name the type of place you want, and I can provide it. Including an ocean-front
cottage in the Bahamas...sort of.

[robkelk]

Here's another scene...

Private Reception Lounge
Dock 2, Stellvia
13:00 GMT 13 March 2014

"Glad you could make it, dad." Noah shook his father's hand, then turned to his brother. "And Gerald - you're looking better than you did when I left."

"Getting out of the rat-race helped a lot there, Noah. You should try it sometime."

Noah grinned. "Wish I had the time. This is my wife-to-be, Leda."

"Charmed to make the acquaintance of such a beautiful young lady," the elder Anderson said while reaching to take her hand.

Leda quickly moved her hands behind her back. "I appreciate the gesture, Mr. Anderson, but my biomod makes holding hands dangerous."

Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Biomod?"

"A long story... and it's not illegal up here."

"Ah." The eyebrow came back down after Noah nodded in confirmation.

Leda didn't notice. "Gerald, does anybody call you -"

He cut her off quickly. "No, Ms. Swansen. *Nobody* gets to call me 'Gerry Anderson'. Not even Noah. And don't use my initials, either."

"Oh. Why shouldn't I use your initials?"

Noah pulled her aside and whispered in her ear. "Gerald's middle name is Thaddeus. And he's about as 'dane as they come."

Leda grimaced, then composed herself and went back to the Anderson family. "So, how was the trip?"

"Long," replied Gerald. "And I'd like to check in and relax. You did find us a room, didn't you, Noah?"

"Considering I own a hotel, it wasn't difficult. You, Stacey, and the kids are in a suite; Ms. Fujisawa will help you find the front desk." At this, Yayoi stepped forward and guided most of Noah's relatives toward the hotel. "And you've got your own room, dad."

"Thanks, son. Sorry about Gerald, Ms. Swansen. He's not usually like this."

"Please, call me Leda. And I understand completely."

He smiled at that. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to talk with my son about something he's been avoiding for the last five years."

"I knew this was coming... Leda, please apologize to your family and tell them I'll meet them at dinner this evening. I'm going to take dad to the hotel." She nodded, and the two men left the reception lounge.

"Yes, you should know this was coming. Every time I've asked, you've had to take another call or deal with an emergency."

"We were practically at war last year, dad. I couldn't ignore that."

"How many lives did you save by being too busy to talk to me?"

"Dozens. Maybe hundreds."

"That's all right, then. But now you can't hang up on me. Did you ever find the Harrison's daughter, the one who disappeared on Luna back in 2009?"

Noah sighed. "Yeah, dad, I found Kelly. She doesn't want to go back home or call her family, and I agree with her reasons why."

"She's still alive?"

"Alive and enjoying her work, the last time I saw her. And here we are at the Hotel Stellvia. Let's get you checked in..." Noah glanced at the crowd at the reception desk, then continued. "Better yet, I'll check you in myself."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I don't want to wait in line for too long."

"Your leg's bothering you again?"

"Hey, I'm alive. But I would've liked to meet that cute bunny-girl behind the counter. Or at least read her name tag."

"The bunny-girl?" asked Noah, secretly happy his father couldn't read her nametag from where they were. "You don't mind she's got a biomod?"

"Your bride has a biomod, Noah. I'm going to have to get used to it. Besides..."

After a moment of typing on his PDA, Noah asked, "'Besides'?"

"Well, it might just be a vacation romance, but my grandson seems quite taken by Leda's sister Minerva. And vice-versa. Gerald might have to learn to like Fen, not just tolerate you."

"Charles and Minerva? One of them would have to move, considering the families live on opposite sides of the States."

"Charles withdrew his application to Yale and applied to UCSD while we were in Kandor City."

"Wow. I really hope this works out for both of them." Noah walked over to the front desk, grabbed a plastic card, and walked back to his father. "Here's your room key, dad. See you at six for dinner?"

"I wouldn't miss it, son."

---

OOC: Putting everybody's suggestions together into one handy list, and adding a few more ideas...

The wedding's going to be held at Grover's Corners on Saturday 15 March 2014.

Maico Tange gets exclusive rights to cover the ceremony live, in order to keep paparazzi out; this will be enforced by Tachikomas.

Wedding party:

Best Person: Yayoi Fujisawa
Ushers: A.C. Peters, Jake Hansen, Mal Fnord

Maid of Honour: Kohran Li
Bridesmaids: Patty O'Neill, Mikuru Asahina, Sora Hasegawa

Ring Bearer: Safety

Flower Girls: Luna Schroeck, Nina Avins (all five Heart Roses)

Officiating: some preacher from the Fenchurch.

(Mal and Sora by telepresence if necessary; they'll either be back in-system or close enough that there'll be no noticeable FTL lag, unless RL-Mal's planning something that'll keep the VVS at Delta Pavonis.)

Reception:

Dinner: Aussie-style barbecue steak and shrimps, cob corn (from Wonderland), and Australian table wines from Penfolds Grange (the youngsters and the known Monty Python fen get sparkling grape juice instead). Plain white cake with white icing, to avoid allergic/biomod reactions.

Table centerpieces are colourful and edible: nasturtiums, candied violets, apple blossoms, plum blossoms, rose petals

After-dinner live music by the Hong Kong Cavaliers

First set: The stuff that it would be impolite to play while Noah and Leda are in the room (including "Since I Don't Have You"), while they're off getting changed from their formal outfits to more-casual clothes.

Middle sets: Music that the happy couple can dance to (including "And I Love Her", the first dance).

Final set: The hokey all-request party after the newlyweds have left for their honeymoon (including "Hava Nagila", "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights", and "Fly Me to the Moon")

DJ between sets by Benjamin's Handwaved Ipod Touch. (Playlist includes "Waiting For A Hero")

Open bar with the usual drinks, monitored and tended so nobody gets too drunk to fly. Vegan sushi, and ANZAC Biscuits available at the bar.

Afterwards:

The happy couple claim they're honeymooning at the Old Ring of Stellvia - home. As to where they're really honeymooning... that's a secret. But smart money says Noah's too well-known on Earth, Leda's too well-known on Venus, and Saturn's too far from Stellvia for workaholic Noah to be comfortable vacationing there.

And who knows what else might happen...?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012