The Ballard of Cairo
Part forty-one: Nice day for a white wedding?
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
Lyran Alliance
One thing that can be said for Solaris City is that if you have the money, anything is possible. Arranging a wedding when you have a small arsenal of Clan weapons and equipment to sell is exceptionally easy. The small chapel that Cairo and O'Brien and decided upon was more than willing to keep the ceremony on the quiet, as long as the price was right.
The priest conducting the service continued where he had left off. "And if there is anyone present who has any just reason why these two should not be joined in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." It was at this point that six men armed with silenced sub-machineguns burst into the room.
O'Brien looked at them and then turned to Cairo, "Didn't we say formal wear on the invitations?" Everyone scattered as the men opened fire.
Cairo and O'Brien found themselves behind an overturned oak table, the 9mm rounds from the attackers' guns unable to penetrate the thick wood. Cairo drew his service revolver and turned to O'Brien. "I'm glad we decided to get married in uniform. I just hope the others brought live ammo." He ducked round the end of the table and fired, catching one of the gunmen in the leg. A beam of high-energy light from O'Brien's laser hit the man in the head, killing him instantly.
She turned to Cairo, "What you think: Word of Blake or Cain?"
Cairo looked at the black uniform the dead man was wearing. "Word of Blake: We must have really ticked them off on Whittington." He ducked back behind the table as a stream of bullets shot over the top of the table.
There was a loud bang as Point Commander Rix fired his gyro-jet pistol at the attackers, blasting one of them across the room. A hail of regular rounds from Jackson, Dancer and Rebecca caught three more, killing them instantly. The last one tried to run, but was brought down by a round through the knee.
Cairo looked over the top of his barricade, "Clear!"
Jackson popped his head up "Clear!"
As the crew of the Wataru walked to the centre of the room, Rix disarmed the surviving gunman. Cairo looked at the man's knee. "Who managed to do that?"
The figure of Precentor Clearwater stepped forward, a smoking gun in his hand. "That one was me. We were informed by one of our agents that Word of Blake was still after you, so we decided to keep an eye on you. I'm sorry to interrupt your wedding, but they must have decided to catch you away from your Mech."
Cairo looked at the Com-Star man. "You're telling us that they are going to be after me forever?"
"They may decide that you are just too much trouble." Clearwater shrugged, "You've already managed to stop two of their operations relatively easily."
Cairo turned to O'Brien. "We may have to postpone the wedding for a little while. You okay with that?"
O'Brien smiled and put her arm through his. "I told you Steven...you're not getting rid of me that easily."
To Be Continued...