Author's Note:

Thanks to Whisperwings for betaing, hope everyone had a nice long weekend, and on with the show –er- fic!


"The Lord José Dwayne and Lady Felicia Arbour," The formally-dressed announcer at the head of the stairway into the High Duchess's ballroom called out.

Rebecca chewed on her bottom lip, instinctively tightening her hold against John's arm. John glanced down at the young woman and tried to provide a reassuring smile. Rebecca could see the nervousness within John's coal-black eyes, but weakly smiled back.

"Sir Timothy San Tiago and Lady Miriam Gloucester," The announcer looked at the approaching couple. "Ah, Lady Clarke, the High Duchess has been anticipating your arrival." He cleared his throat. "And you are, sir?"

"Admiral actually," John cut in, "Admiral John Smith."

"I see." The announcer looked over John quickly and then turned to the banquet hall, "Admiral John Smith and Lady Rebecca Clarke." He called out.

A generous amount of the grand ballroom's occupants turned to watch Rebecca and John descend into the ballroom.

"Does everyone here know who you are, Rebecca?" John asked experimentally as they walked down the stairs.

"Apparently so, though I haven't the foggiest clue as to why." Rebecca fiddled with her fingers.

They reached the bottom of the stairway, where John was instantly offered to dance from a group of ladies. Rebecca couldn't help but giggle and let John to the mercy of the women, while she retreated to one of the corners of the ballroom.


"Becky!" A familiar voice called out from close by. Rebecca looked out into the crowd of hundreds of formally-dressed people.

"Giles?" Rebecca turned to the source of the voice and was immediately swept into a tight hug from her older brother.

The young man released his hold on Rebecca, setting her down. "Well look at you, Beck... still all grown up, I see."

Rebecca laughed warmly. "And I see that you're still as childish as ever, Giles." Her older brother was wearing an ultramarine suit with his usually messy dark brown hair neatly in place.

"Shh…" The copper-eyed male pressed a finger against his smiling lips. "I'm actually here with someone so you don't want to drop the hint that I'm not all suave and such." The smirk on his face remained.

"Oh really?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "And who would that be?"

"You know Gertrude Hart?" Giles whispered.

"That old lady, who used to send her greyhounds after us when we would go through her gardens?" Rebecca asked, slightly shocked.

"Yes, that one… Well, her niece just came back from Alpha Diego." Giles nodded his head to a blonde lady dressed in a bright blue evening gown, speaking amongst other ladies.

"Oh." Rebecca smiled slightly. "Would this happen to be the same Brianna Hart who you pushed into the mud at the Fairville Festival when I was four?"

Giles snorted. "I can't believe that you actually remember that." He rolled his eyes. "But yes… that's her." A smirk played on Giles's face. "We're getting married soon, and you should come home for the ceremony."

"Giles? Getting married?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "That must be an elaborately tall tale."

"Yeah, well…" Giles rubbed the back of his head and glanced at his fiancée, "we're in love."

Rebecca smiled warmly to her brother, noticing the longing in his eyes of which she had seen many times in Jarred's eyes when he looked at Juanita. "Well, I'm happy for you."

Giles cleared his throat. "Anyway, Mother sent me here in hopes of finding you, because of my and Brianna's wedding. I personally think that she just misses you."

Rebecca laughed, shaking her head at the thought of her always-worrying mother. "Well, I have to admit, I do miss home terribly… but I am enjoying sailing the Etherium, very much."

"I can tell as much." Giles smiled back. He looked around the crowded ballroom. "So, who's the guy you came in with? Don't tell me you've found a suitor already."

"An old friend of yours," Rebecca smiled. "You probably didn't recognize him with his disguise on after all this time."

"Disguises…" Giles pondered aloud. "You can't possibly mean Ol' Johnny Silver?"

Rebecca couldn't help but laugh. "He's over there," she nodded to the green-uniformed man surrounded by women, "I believe that you two have quite a bit to catch up on."

"Johnny!" Giles ran out into the crowd to catch his old friend.

Rebecca suppressed another laugh, shaking her head at her brother's childishness. She looked around the ballroom and took the nearest glass door out onto one of the balconies overlooking the High Duchess's gardens. The sky was a deep blue-purple and littered with thousands of stars.


"Out for air as well?" A voice asked from beside Rebecca.

Rebecca looked beside her and noticed a well-dressed felid with skin like that of a leopard, dark raven-black hair swept into a bun, and brilliant yellow-green eyes. She wore a bejewelled circlet and a champagne-coloured gown with elbow-length gloves.

"I daresay it's quite crowded in there." The felid smiled warmly.

"Indeed, especially when so many people know you." Rebecca sighed, leaning against the marble banister around the balcony. "My family's close friends with the High Duchess, you see."

"As is mine," the felid stated, "though this is the first time I've attended one of her banquets, usually she just attends those on my home planet."

"Same here," Rebecca smiled, "I am Rebecca Clarke, daughter of Lord Townsend and Lady Clarke."

"Kimberlyn," the felid introduced herself, "daughter of the king and queen of Centauri."

Rebecca's eyes widened. "A princess?" She formally curtseyed.

Kimberlyn chuckled lightly, "No longer. I've revoked my inheritance to the throne for…" she paused, "something better."

"Something better?" Rebecca looked up at the felid.

Kimberlyn gestured to a young male felid inside the ballroom wearing a deep ochre spacer suit. He had milk-white skin, short rust-red hair and his eyes were a bright green.

"My husband, Atlas, is a spacer." Kimberlyn explained. "To marry him, I had to cast aside my eligibility for the throne, because he is of lower rank." She smiled. "But I agreed to it." She chuckled lightly, "Apparently Atlas's younger sister is also breaking tradition and becoming a spacer herself. Amelia, I believe, is her name."

"Really?" Rebecca pondered inwardly at the princess's words. "So, just like that? You revoked your rank, for love?" She asked.

"Yes I did, for true love knows no ranks." Kimberlyn smiled. She turned away, leaving Rebecca out on the balcony, staring up at the stars for an answer.


"Johnny, you ol' scallywag!" Giles gave John an affectionate clap on the shoulder as he escorted him from the presence of the many women. They stopped by a curtained archway leading out to the High Duchess's gardens.

"Well I'll be," John laughed, "If it isn't ol' Joker Giles, back from the dead."

"Oh yeah," Giles smiled widely, "long time no see, Johnny. I hear you brought my baby sister to this banquet."

"Actually," John rubbed the back of his neck, "she brought me."

"Ah, that's like Becky…" Giles smiled fondly, "Nothing like a little protection against all those blood-thirsty know-it-alls." He retrieved two glasses of champagne from one of the many white-suited butlers and grabbed a hors-d'oeuvre. "So what's been happening with you all these years, Johnny?" Giles asked, handing one glass to John and biting into the hors-d'oeuvre.

"Just been sailing, like always." John stated nonchalantly.

"And how exactly did you meet up with my sister?" Giles raised an eyebrow.

John chuckled. "Fate, I suppose. But yer acting like we're together or somethin'…" He cleared his throat, "Well yeh see, Giles, were both on the same ship outta Treaka an' we got along fine. I accompanied her teh Los Terrano, we stuck together 'til then, an' now I'm providing her with a ship teh go wherever she fancies."

"You think I'm acting like you're together." Giles scoffed. "You should hear your own story, Johnny." He smirked behind his champagne glass as he drained it.

John rolled his eyes and looked out at the ballroom. Many couples were dancing to the orchestral music on the polished dance floor below a crystal chandelier. It instantly reminded him of the ferry from Los Terrano to Romano and the time he had spent with Rebecca. He stirred the contents of his own glass and drained it.

"Excuse me, if yeh will, Giles." John looked at the young man.

"Sure, just make sure that you wish Rebecca a Happy Birthday, Johnny…" Giles rubbed his neck with a half-laugh, "I forgot to do so when I spoke with her, but no matter I soon will!" Giles then hurried out into the crowd to go find his fiancée.

John sighed and looked out at the ballroom.


Rebecca gave the stars one last look before she entered the ballroom once again. She was immediately confronted with a large group of young men.

"Well, Lady Clarke," one man said, grasping her gloved hand, "It is an immense pleasure to see you tonight." He emphasized 'pleasure' while looking deeply into her eyes, making Rebecca uncomfortable.

"How do you do?" Rebecca's voice cracked; she quickly pulled her hand away just as the man was going to kiss it.

"Yes, you look positively ravishing in that dress, Lady Rebecca." Another man said.

Rebecca chewed her bottom lip, searching for an escape. She was completely surrounded by these eligible suitors and was at a loss of what to do.

"Care to dance?" many of them asked at once, offering their hands to her.

"Now see here, I was going to dance with her first!" The men began to argue.

"Umm…" Rebecca tried to speak. Her mouth was too dry to help her get her voice above the young males' argument.

"Please, Miss Clarke, I insist."

"No, I suggest you dance with me, Lady Rebecca."

"Lady Clarke!"

"Miss Rebecca!"

"I..." Rebecca's voice was hardly above a whisper.

"Actually –gentlemen- she's got a dance with me, first." John's voice cut in as he stepped into the circle of suitors. He looked at Rebecca and smiled warmly, "she owes me as much."

"That I do, Admiral." Rebecca found her voice again, feeling immense relief as she took John's arm and the crowd of suitors dissipated. "Thank you so much, John…" She whispered as John led her towards the dance floor.

"Couldn't let yeh get eaten alive there, lass." John smiled as he and Rebecca turned face to face on the dance floor. "Just don't blame me if I'm not the best dancer."

Rebecca smiled, setting a hand down upon John's shoulder and taking his other hand. "I'm sure that you are a fine dancer, John." She looked into his warm coal-black eyes.

John couldn't resist smiling back, setting a hand gently on Rebecca's waist and leading them into the three-time waltz.


Despite John claiming to not be the best dancer, Rebecca was surprised at the finesse of the young man. She had danced with many men and John was –by far- one of the more superior dancers. He didn't lead them into the paths of other dancing couples, never once stepped on her toes, and kept his eyes locked on Rebecca's rather than staring at their feet.

Rebecca couldn't help but smile at all the young man had done for her. He was the greatest companion that she could ever ask for and a loyal gentleman. Sure he had a few rough edges, but he had been there for her when she was in need and had supported her since they had met.


Rebecca smiled up at John and something stirred within the young gentleman. Under the crystal chandelier Rebecca seemed to angelically glow. It reminded him so much of the night the two of them had gone out to see the Theta Nebula, and even drew up memories of the night he had spoken up against her objectification.

There was a tap at John's shoulder and he turned around.

"Mind if I cut in?" Giles asked with a smile.

John chuckled, "She's all yours." He politely bowed to Rebecca before allowing Giles to take his place. The young man then made his way to the entrance to the High Duchess's gardens.

Rebecca's eyes followed John until he left the main ballroom. She then turned to her older brother and smiled.

Giles sighed, getting into position to dance with his sister. "You know, I'm curious, Becky."

"Of what?" Rebecca allowed one last glance at the entrance of the gardens before looking back at her brother.

"Well, it's quite obvious that you and John like each other." Giles stated, "Why aren't you two a we yet?"

"Pardon?" Rebecca was confused at her brother's words.

"I mean to say," Giles twirled them around, "That John likes you, and you like him, so you should get together."

"Giles!" Rebecca scolded. "You know as much as I do about our family, what would they think?"

"Oh, so this is about rank, is it?" Giles retorted.

"Don't start that." Rebecca snapped and then sighed, "I've… already been through it."

Giles paused as the music guided their steps, "so you have considered your and John's relationship?"

"Yes." Rebecca stated, looking away.

"And, your conclusion?" Giles pried.

"Mother and father would never approve." Rebecca said curtly.

"When was this ever about our parents' approval?" Giles enquired.

"Giles, I'd like our parents' to be happy with a relationship between myself and John," Rebecca stated, "But I know that they wouldn't be!"

"How?" Giles demanded. "If anything that they'd want most, they'd want you to be happy!"

There was a silence between the siblings, filled only by the orchestral music.

"That's what got you here, right?" Giles looked seriously into Rebecca's eyes.

"Yes." Rebecca said with a sigh.

"So, go get him." Giles smiled warmly. He stopped where they were and nodded towards the entrance to the gardens.

Rebecca looked at the dark entrance and then back at Giles.

"Oh and Rebecca," Giles added, making his way towards his dancing fiancée, "Happy Birthday."

Rebecca smiled softly and made her way towards the entrance into the High Duchess's pristine gardens. She looked back into the ballroom and then entered the evening's darkness.


Author's Note:

Yeah, my creative zing is beginning to level out, hell-o writer's block! But thankfully this was a nice long chapter, to make up for the long wait to come…

MG#6