Chapter 5
In the middle of the night, Rhade woke to alarms ringing all over the Andromeda. He pulled on a shirt, pants, and boots, and left his quarters in a big hurry. He met Dylan on his way to Command, and the rest of the crew soon appeared. Rommie was already in Command, and reported that an unidentified vessel was blocking their path. When Trance caught sight of the ship, she gasped. She started to slip to her knees, but seeing this, Rhade caught her before she could fall. Quickly accessing the reason for her distress, Rhade asked Trance who was in the ship.
"It's my people," she said simply, as a group of people with features and coloring similar to Trance's, appeared in a flash of white light. The silver-haired woman in the group turned to face Dylan. "You are Captain Dylan Hunt?"
"Yes," said Dylan, "Who are you and how do you know my name?"
The tall purple-hued woman laughed quietly. "You may find that we know many things, Captain. I am Tryselle Gemini, Queen of the Elves of Elysia. Trance is my daughter." A stunned silence followed this statement. "I see that this is a shock, Captain, but I assure you it is true."
Dylan looked toward Trance, who was wrapped securely in Rhade's arms. She was very pale, holding onto Rhade as if her life depended on him. "Trance," began Dylan. Trance swallowed the lump in her throat, and answered. "Yes, it's true. This is my mother, and I am a princess of the Elves."
"Daughter," said Tryselle, "I am here to take you home to Elysia. It is time for you to marry, and take your proper place at my side."
"No, Mother... I can't leave the Andromeda. This is my home. My friends are here."
"Who is this man holding you?" said Tryselle, in a voice that chilled the room.
"I am Gaheris Rhade, my queen," he said, bowing as best he could, while continuing to hold Trance safely in one arm.
"Well, at least he has manners," said the queen, turning her gaze to Trance once more. "He is quite handsome, but he is not an elf."
"He's not purple, either," cut in Harper. Harper shut his mouth instantly after Rhade and all of the elves shot dirty looks at him.
Ignoring Harper's outburst, the queen continued. "Have you chosen him?" she asked, a sad look in her blue-purple eyes.
Trance now looked up into Rhade's dark eyes. What she read there, gave her the answer she sought. She turned and said, "Yes, mother. I have chosen him."
Crystal tears stood in the queen's eyes. "You know what this means, my child. Are you sure about this man?"
"Yes, mother... I am sure." Trance said firmly, without hesitation.
Tryselle turned her attention to Rhade. "I know of the grievous crime committed against you by one of my people. The elf was punished. You have my people's most sincere apology... if you will accept it."
Rhade bowed to the queen. "I sincerely accept your apology."
"We thank you for your acceptance. I now charge you, Gaheris Rhade, with the happiness and protection of Trance Gemini, Crown Princess of the Elves of Elysia. For marrying a mortal, Trance will never be allowed to see her home again. Do you accept this responsibility?"
"I do, my queen," said Rhade, taking Trance's hands into his own large ones.
"For this, I present you with the gifts of an Elven Prince. I now present ...Prince Gaheris Rhade.
At this announcement, all the elves in the queen's escort bowed to Rhade, honoring him with his new title. Tryselle embraced her daughter and said, "I will miss you, my child, but you have done well with this man. I see great happiness for you."
"Thank you, mother...I will miss you, too."
Trance and her mother said farewell, and the elves disappeared once again in a burst of white light. Then their ship shot away from the Andromeda at a seemingly impossible speed.
"Wow!" said Harper. "Purple elves...Trance is a princess... Rhade's a prince..."
"Shhh, Harper," said Dylan, "I think Rhade and Trance need to go talk in private."
Trance giggled, and Rhade looked at Dylan with a smirk. "Actually, we won't need to talk. We... Apparently Elves are telepaths."
Dylan stared at Trance and Rhade. "The queen gave you magical powers?"
"Not exactly," said Trance. "Mother made Rhade an Elven Prince. That gives him telepathic powers and long life like me."
"Okay," nodded Dylan. "How long?"
"Oh... probably 5000 years or so," said Trance nonchalantly.
"WHAT?!" hollered Dylan, Rhade, Rommie, Tyr, Rev, and Beka. Harper had already fainted.
After Harper revived, he said, "Wow Trance, You're like... an almost immortal purple babe."
"She's mine, Harper," growled Rhade.
"Okay, okay. In a thousand years or so... if I'm around and you're tired of her..."
Rhade growled louder and came after Harper, who quickly hid behind Trance. "Be good, Harper," said Trance sternly. "Or you can't come to our wedding."
"I'm good, I'm good... The Harper is good."
"When do you want the wedding?" asked Dylan, smiling at Rhade's jealousy.
"Right now," said Rhade. "Oh... and my bride wants Rommie for her maid of honor."
"Stop doing that... that mind thing!" exclaimed Beka. "You're freaking me out!"
"You're freaked out? What about me?" asked Harper, eyeing Rhade warily.
"Be quiet, Harper," said Beka. "You'll miss the wedding."
Dylan now performed the ceremony with all the crew present. To everyone's shock, Rhade chose Harper as his best man, because he was actually very fond of the sometimes annoying little genius.
When Rhade and Trance were alone, they exchanged intricately designed double helix bracelets made of pure silver. Rhade was now an Elven Prince, but he was still very much a Nietzchean, with great pride and a deep love for his people's traditions. Dylan dropped Trance and Rhade off at a beautiful planet nearby, that was very suitable for a honeymoon getaway.
And so, Gaheris Rhade, Big Bad Nietzchean / Elven Prince, and Trance Gemini, Elven Princess, learned to live together as one.
-The End-
