ARRIVAL OF THE BEAST'S RIDE

Well the osik hit the fan last week and now it's time to begin the massive job of cleaning it all up. Let's check back in with Onderon's most recently engaged couple, and see how they plan to minimize the damage.

...

"So, you're telling me that your cousin Emoth went to Bralyk Keep with Cade, proceeded to marry one of Lord Bralykburn's daughters and he took her name?" Lux recapped everything Dalla had been telling him for the last few minutes and then took a swig of his drink. "Kriff, I thought I'd just left Coruscant. Clearly there's just as much drama here."

"If you thought you were coming here on vacation, you picked the wrong place." Dalla sighed and knocked back what remained of her ale.

"I wouldn't call it a vacation," he whispered. "I came here for a wedding."

"Looks like you're getting a two-for-one special."

"How in the universe was this allowed? The bride's underage, and from what I've seen of Hugo Bralykburn he doesn't let matters of his house pride slide."

"He's covering his own shebs," Dalla explained. "Aunt Shara thinks that with the speed this all moved along the girl has to be pregnant, but I'm not sure about that."

Lux nodded. "Yeah, I bet that's it."

"Lux, the only chance they would have had to get pregnant is during Thias' and Kason's wedding reception when we lost track of Double Trouble for a few hours. What are the odds of getting pregnant after one go?" Her own parents had tried for years before they had her.

"Considering the track records of some people I know of … pretty high."

"Not for the people I know of."

"Ten credits says I'm right and she's pregnant." He extended his hand over the table, eyebrow raised in a challenge.

"You're on." She took his hand and they shook.

"And what's this?" A deep voice jested behind them as its owner reached over the pub's table to refill their drinks. "Am I witnessing history in the making?"

"Only when Dalla loses this bet, Tandin." Lux smiled and reached out to embrace his old friend. "It's been too long. How have you been?"

"I've been well. I've got the missus and I've got Nessa." Former General Grigori Tandin sighed. "Last week she asked her mother and I if she could get her belly button pierced. Eleven is the new thirteen."

"Hang in there," Dalla patted his arm. "You've survived worse."

"Managing Rash was just the practice round for this. So Lux, what brings you back to the north?"

Lux was about to answer when the door leading to the owners' apartment swung open and Nessa gingerly poked down the stairs, her arms rigidly at her sides like a tin soldier.

Tandin looked her up and down and then he bellowed. "Nessa Sharaline Tandin, you went and did it yourself?!"

Nessa blinked and her eyes flashed to her belly button. "W-what?"

Grigori set the pitcher on Dalla and Lux's table and charged up to his daughter. "Nessa, your mother and I told you no piercings! And what's more, doing it by yourself is dangerous!"

"But I sterilized the needle with a match! And then I put rum on it when I was done."

Maris spoke up from her position over at the bar: "What's this I hear 'bout a piercing?"

While the Tandins duked it out on the stairs ("Nessa why in salt gods' names would you do that?" "I just wanted it done, Momma!") and the rest of the pub shouted out comments ("Ooh little Nessa, you've really gone and done it now!" "Mr. and Mrs. Pubkeep don't look too happy right now.") Lux kicked Dalla under the table.

"While I was in Iziz I popped into a jeweler's and got this discreetly." He poked her thigh with something and Dalla looked down - it was a velvet box, which he popped open to reveal a diamond ring. "I know you don't want anything big or flashy that could get caught in the rigging. I hope I did okay."

"You did great," she whispered and nodded her thanks. It really was beautiful, a diamond set with a smaller sapphire on each side. "That shouldn't get in the way at all."

"Oh thank goodness, I was worried you'd hate it." He leaned forward a little more and took the ring out of the box, then reached for her left hand.

Dalla folded her hands. "What are you doing? We haven't made the announcement yet; I can't be walking around with a rock on my hand."

"We're only walking from the pub to the dock and back to the Hold. Who will notice?"

"Half the pub will notice as soon as we get up from the table." He slunk back into his chair looking rather embarrassed and Dalla mentally kicked herself. "Lux, I'm sorry. I promise I won't spend the rest of our lives shutting you down, it's just this is all really nerve-wracking and with the whole Bralykburn thing on top of it -."

"I think that makes two of us who are absolutely scared to death." He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck before cracking a smile: "And besides, I'm the one who's going to be harnessing your crazy for whenever it suits me diplomatically."

"I'll be happy to loose it for you when the situation arises." She smiled back.

Lux got an idea. "Here," he fished around in his suitcase and pulled out a thin silk cord. "What about around your neck, under your shirt?"

"I think that's a great idea." She checked to make sure no one was watching and then leaned forward so he could lower the cord with the ring over her head. She tucked it safely out of sight under her shirt.

No sooner had the ring bumped against her breastbone when the pub door creaked open and Lana burst in. She raced up to the staircase with a "Nessa, did you do it?"

Nessa, Tandin, and Maris all stared down at her, and the excitement faded from Lana's face. She did her best to turn around and walk out of the pub like nothing was going on, but Dalla snagged her cousin's collar as she went past her and Lux's table.

"Lana, did you know about this?"

Lana smiled innocently. "Know about what?"

"I believe she does," Lux gave Lana a look.

Unknowingly he'd also given her an exit. "Oh, Lux is here? Hi, Lux! Momma will be so excited to find out you're here; I'd better go tell her so she can get a head start preparing your room." With that she smiled sweetly at Dalla again, wordlessly asking will you let me go now?

Dalla did. "Your momma will hear about this!" she yelled after her cousin before she groaned and returned to her drinks partner. "Salt gods, Miranda and I never did stupid stuff like this."

Everyone in the pub, Lux included, stared at her and then Maris broke the silence by grabbing Nessa. "Listen to me here, if you even think of using someone else's ID at a pub…"

"I can't speak for you and Miranda, but I can count a few boneheaded things you did with Steela or Soniee," Lux announced. "And then there was my stunt on Carlaac. It must be a side effect of being young."

"Aye, and Emoth fell into that trap too." Whatever her cousin was thinking taking the Bralykburn name, it wasn't anything rational. "He's going to be lucky if Uncle Jamos doesn't kill him."

Lux opened his mouth to reply but he was cut off by Lana's scream from the outside: "The Beast's Ride is in harbor! Emoth and Cade are back!"

"Emoth and Cade are about to be dead is what they are," Dalla muttered and tossed some credits on the table before handing off a few more to Maris, who spared her half a glance and then handed Nessa off to Tandin to look at her closer.

"Dalla, you got a necklace on? I thought you didn't have any."

Dalla touched her throat. Sure enough, some of the cord was peeking out around her throat though the important part was sheathed. "It's not much, Maris. Just a stone." If only Maris knew what kind of stone was around Dalla's neck, she and Tandin would both have a heart attack.

Luckily Maris had other things to worry about and focused back on Nessa, allowing Lux and Dalla to leave the pub in peace and meet with the rest of the family on the dock to wait for the ship.

"I take it your brother's is the one coming into port just now, with the Blackwell banner?" Lux shielded his eyes against the sun.

"Aye, that's the Beast's Ride."

Lux raised his eyebrows, just now hearing the ship's name properly. "He named his ship that?"

"Father just about killed him, but aye." Her father. She could see him approaching the docks with Uncle Jamos and Aunt Shara. Surely he should know about the engagement, Dxun maybe even before she did, but there was no way to tell him without letting half of Blackhold know at the same time. Better to save the announcement for dinner, in the privacy of the Hold.

Lux nodded in Marlon's direction. "I should get on his good side, shouldn't I?"

"He already likes you. He might threaten you with a blaster rifle -."

"I already saw him with a blaster rifle." Lux shuddered at the memory. "I think I'll aspire to never having him point one at me."

"He wouldn't." She touched the concealed ring to let him know why. "He likes you, and he knows you're an honorable man. I wouldn't marry someone who wasn't."

The gangplank was being lowered and Lux glanced toward it. "Let's just hope I still have a family to marry into when this is over."

Amen, Lux. She could see Emoth standing next to a beaming girl who she assumed was Kayla Bralykburn. The slight brunette had a sweet face and gazed blissfully at Emoth. Gods, if she only knew what she'd done to House Blackwell. Not that she'd care. It wasn't her house even now, since Hugo had baited Emoth into taking her name.

"She doesn't look pregnant," She whispered to Lux.

"Just you wait."

The gangplank lowered to the dock and they tabled the conversation for later. Emoth and his new bride walked down the gangplank still gazing at each other and Lana ran up to them.

"Emoth, what did you bring me?"

"A new sister-in-law." Emoth squeezed the Bralykburn girl's hand and she looked shyly out to the rest of the family.

Lana snorted. "Yeah thanks, I've already got one of those. What did you really get me?"

"No, really Kayla is your new sister-in-law and. . ." He paused dramatically. "You're going to be an aunt."

Dalla swore under her breath. Maybe Lux didn't hear that bit.

Lana gaped at him. "Do Momma and Daddy know? Can I tell them?"

"That's not exactly how…"

"I'm gonna be an aunt!"

Lux smirked and held out his hand. "Pay up, Dal."

Dalla fished around in her pocket, grumbling, and deposited a credit chit in his waiting palm.

If he was going to celebrate his little victory Jamos trampled on those plans with a bellowed "Bloody Dxun!" which made everyone jump.

Cade stomped down the gangplank. "Aye Uncle Jamos, that's what I thought."

Shara snapped into action. "Jamos, you're making a scene!"

"Kriff right I'm making a scene. Hugo Bralykburn made a mockery of this family, but I'm not going to take it without a fight."

Marlon grabbed his brother's arm. "Your son already did. And at any rate this isn't the time nor the place. Look at the poor girl; none of this was her fault."

Dalla hazarded a glance. Kayla Bralykburn looked about ready to burst into tears. She was either a genuinely sweet soul or a skilled manipulator, and Dalla would rather err on the side of caution considering she was Hugo Bralykburn's daughter.

Shara placed herself between Jamos and the couple. "Our son is responsible for this too, Jamos. At any rate, you're not going to accomplish anything making the girl cry."

Jamos looked over to Kayla and her wobbling lip and then gave in when he saw Emoth's face: nervous but protective, and ready to defend his wife. Even from Jamos.

"You looked like that when Hugo Bralykburn called me a southern witch," Shara reminded him. "Tell me Jamos, how ready were you to defend me then? How ready do you think Emoth is to defend Kayla now?"

"Uh…" Jamos shook his head to clear it and Shara walked right past him to greet the couple.

"Hello dear," she said and took Kayla's hands in her own. "I'm Shara, Emoth's mother. You must excuse my husband, he's just having a shock. We're both very glad to meet you."

Kayla relaxed a little bit. "Thank you, Mrs. Blackwell."

"Shara. You're family now." Shara smiled and then looked to her son. "Lana stole your thunder, didn't she?"

"Aye, she did." Emoth cleared his throat and then gestured to his bride. "Everyone, this is my wife Kayla Bralykburn. And, and -"

"We're going to have a baby!" Kayla burst out.

Lux smirked and flipped the credit chit over in his hand. "If she has twins, do I get another chit?" he whispered.

"Wanna spend our wedding night on the couch?"

"Only if you'll join me there."

She checked to make sure her father didn't hear that. "Hold your dalgos on that one, Bonteri. I don't want to have a blaster rifle wedding." Salt gods, had Hugo done that very thing with Emoth?

"Neither do I." Lux agreed. "But speaking of weddings, we'd better go meet the bride. We're going to be sharing a holdfast with her, after all."

…

The tension from the docks had luckily evaporated by the time they reached the dinner table. Everyone was asking Kayla questions about her interests and how she was feeling and how they could make her feel more at home. Kayla insisted that they'd done more than enough and she felt perfectly at home already, but she was excited to get things ready for the new baby. Did they have a crib in storage somewhere?

"I held onto our old one for grandchildren," Shara assured her. "We also have the changing table and a rocking chair. Emoth and Cade can drag them out tomorrow and start setting up a nursery next to your room."

Not even a grumble from Cade or Uncle Jamos. They simply nodded and went back to talking about the new little family. With the fishing season still going strong would they be able to pull Emoth away from the Hold to act as comm officer? And Shara was already talking about getting a midwife over to check out Kayla and the babe. Marlon and Lux were making polite small talk about Coruscant.

They were all getting along, and Dalla knew that if she was going to say something, now was the time. She kicked Lux under the table to let him know, and then tried to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, I have an announcement."

No dice. She might as well have been the salt shaker.

"Excuse me!" She stood up and a rare silence fell over the Blackwells' table.

Dalla steeled herself and cleared her throat. "Along with Emoth and Kayla's news, Lux and I have something we'd like to tell you also."

"What, you're pregnant too?" Cade snorted.

She shot her brother a dirty look before saying "No…"

Lux stood up beside her. "Though hopefully sometime in the future, that may be the case."

Bless him. "We've agreed to join our houses for the good of Onderon."

"What she means is," with this Lux took her hand and smiled at her. "We're getting married."

No one said a thing. No cheers, no congratulations. Just dead quiet.

To everyone's shock it was Kayla who spoke next. "That's wonderful. I hope you'll be very happy together."

"As happy as we are!" Emoth chimed in, once again making eyes at his bride.

Shara broke from the trance and grinned. "Aye! Of course it's wonderful. Welcome to the family, Lux."

Lana squealed, "Lux, we're gonna be cousins!"

Lux let out a huge sigh of relief and Jamos clapped him on the back. "Sure you want to get in on this craziness?"

"Ah, it's a lot like Coruscant," Lux replied. "Feels like home."

"Father, you're not saying anything," Dalla worried. Not only had Marlon not said anything, he hadn't even lowered his fork. He was frozen in place, his eyes sticking out as if on stalks with a bite of food en route to his mouth.

"Well, I'm…" he sputtered and lowered the fork with a shaking hand. "Are you sure about this? Married, Dalla that's huge, that's forever. Are you sure this is what you want? Do you love him?"

Well, no. And she didn't have any delusions that Lux loved her either. But what other choice did they have? They couldn't stay single their whole lives and die without an heir. And anyway, they were a team. They'd been a team during the war and when the Empire rose and countless other times when they commed each other to put their heads together on some issue or another. Marriage wasn't always love, but it was always teamwork.

"We can make it work, Father."

"Prove it," Cade challenged. "Kiss him."

Both Lux and Dalla blushed. There was no way to get out of this, but they'd both been hoping for a chance to practice before they had to do this in front of someone else. Kriff, she should have pulled him behind the pub like every other girl in the universe.

Lux gave her a quick apologetic look as if to apologize in advance for the awkwardness of it all, and then took her chin in his hand and kissed her.

It was bad. The people at the table couldn't see much more than the back of Lux's head, but it was more awkward than Saw's I-heard-it-was-good-luck-to-kiss-a-sailor kiss. At least there were no falling caf pots this time.

The table erupted into cheers when they separated, except for Marlon who still looked as worried as the prospective bride and groom themselves felt.

They shouldn't worry, Dalla thought while she untied the cord around her neck and gave the engagement ring to Lux to put on her hand. This was a good thing. Onderon would stand united, and the two of them would make it work. As long as they remembered they were a team, they could do anything.