Chapter 11
For Better or Worse
(authors note, parts of this chapter have a major spoiler to the prequel story Gravity Galaxy Dragonefire. While not required it will make parts of the chapter make more sense so check it out.)
The Ixcia crew with their friends and family at the Mystery Shacks parlor. The summer was half over, and they were having a small party to touch base with everyone. "…and we were kicked out of El Dorado, never to set foot there again." Ford was finishing a story.
"The point is toucans are jerks, so you should punch everyone you meet." Stan said.
There were a few laughs. "I missed you Grunkle Stan." Mabel said.
"Hey guys." It was Robbie. "I got good news. I got most of the registrations and paperwork you needed done. I got your ID's, insurance policies, voter registration, and the deed to your house right here. After looking over the education Ixcia gave you guys lots of universities want to give you guys honorary degrees too."
"Thanks Robbie, you've been instrumental helping us get our lives here back on track." Dipper could hardly believe he just said that.
"Hey, with what you guys are paying me from your consulting fees I've finally paid off mine and Tambry's student loans."
"You said you got most of their paperwork done. What's left?" Wendy asked.
"Well their wills and other documents just need a judge to see whatever equivalent of a marriage certificate you guys have, but it wasn't among those digital documents you sent me." Robbie said.
"Wait you need a certificate to be married?" Mabel looked worried.
"It's just for legal reasons."
Gideon looked like he was about to fall over. "That might be a problem…"
"The ship's captain who performed the ceremony didn't really care about us signing anything." Pacifica explained.
"Your saying without that…" Dipper looked pale.
"You guys aren't legally married in this country." Robbie said.
"How could you not have planned for this boy?" Bud asked Gideon.
"Given the circumstances we had to rush." Was Gideon's reply.
"Please don't tell me you had some five-minute space Vegas wedding!" Priscilla said.
"Now let's not panic everyone." Sarah said trying to calm everyone. "They didn't know so it's not like they were living in sin, right?"
Dipper tried to explain. "The captain did have the authority. We just got married right there because there was an almost certain chance we were going to die. Maybe it's best if we start from the beginning."
"Oh, I've been hoping to hear this story!" Candy said.
"Space wedding!" Grenda shouted.
Dipper continued. "It was seven years ago…" Dipper paused looking at Pacifica. Had they been together that long? "…like I was saying it started when while trying to get out of imp space again we picked up a distress call."
Seven years ago,
Ixcia was flying through the wreckage of a battle. "Any sign of escape pods?" Dipper asked from the helm.
"Got them." Mabel said from navigation. "Twelve degrees to port, A total of four pods."
"Power to the cloak is holding up." Gideon was manning engineering. "Let's just hope the Imps don't come back."
"If they do, I'm ready for them." Pacifica said from tactical.
"I see them. Ixcia open the cargo bay." Dipper flew so the green cube shaped pods went inside. "Right, let's check on them."
The crew went down and found two dozen small humanoid sheep like people climbing out of the pods. They wore brown uniforms, one of them with more markings on his uniforms, an officer spoke to them. "We will not surrender to you Imperium soldiers!"
"We're not with them!" Mabel said. "We're a cargo ship. We picked up your distress call and rescued you."
The aliens looked confused. "We never expected to be saved by noncitizens. Thank you, we are the proud officers of the Orewellis Space Navy."
Dipper spoke next. "Welcome aboard the Ixcia. I'm Dipper, this Pacifica, you've met my sister Mabel, and Gideon. If you give us the coordinates, we can take you home."
The Orewellians looked at each other and then to their commander. "I suppose it is alright."
"Good." Gideon said. "Now how about I take your injured to our sickbay?"
"We'll take care of our own. In fact, we prefer to stay here for this trip. Are you really enemies of the Imperium?"
"Okay." Pacifica answered confused. "We're wanted for crimes we didn't commit, well one of them for sure we didn't do."
The Orewellian commander gave the coordinates and the crew was about to head back up when Mabel stopped. "If it's okay can I touch one of your coats?" There was a nod yes. Mabel touched the top of his head. "So soft and fluffy."
Later in the common area the crew decided to relax Dipper and Pacifica were cuddling one couch while Gideon and Mabel the doing same on the other. Amid the butterfly kisses Gideon realized something. "It was the first time."
"What?" Mabel asked.
"I think that was the first time Dipper introduced Paz before you."
Dipper and Pacifica stopped making out. "I think you are right." Pacifica said. "Mason, I'm flattered."
Dipper was shocked at what was said. "I didn't even think about it. Paz was the first person to come to mind. Mabel I…"
Mabel blew a raspberry. "I'm not upset Dipper, I'm happy that you love Pacifica that much. This was bound to happen; you've been dating for two years. In the year Giddy and me have been going out he's become the first person I think of when I wake up and the last when I go to sleep."
Gideon smiled. "And you for me dumpling."
"Hey, I have an idea, after we drop off these guys how about we all go on a double date? We never did that before."
"That's a great idea!"
"Are you sure?" Dipper asked. "We're low on funds and we don't have any clients right now."
Pacifica squeezed her boyfriend's hand. "We have enough in savings for something cheap, it's the company that I want."
"Come on Dipper! Double date! Double date!" Mabel said, the other two began to chant along.
"Okay, okay! I know when I'm out voted." Dipper said with a laugh.
Four days later Ixcia arrived at an earth like planet with three small moons. "It looks nice." Mabel said. "Dipper did our passengers ever tell you about a place we could eat?"
"There's a café a short walk from the spaceport. But it wasn't easy to get them to talk to me. Those guys are so suspicious of us."
Gideon groaned. "Tell me about it. They only come up to use the lavatory and then it's always in groups of at least four."
"It's like they're not just scared of us but that they don't trust themselves to be out of the others sight." Pacifica noted.
"We are receiving a transmission from the planet." Ixcia reported.
Ixcia displayed a female Orewellian wearing a blue vest. "Unidentified vessel, this is orbital control, you have twenty-four of our people aboard! Explain yourselves!"
"We rescued them from an Imperium attack. We just want to bring them home and refuel." Dipper explained.
The fluffy alien thought for a moment. "I need to submit this information to the Shepherds' Council, standby."
They were put on hold. "High strung little fluff balls, aren't they?" Gideon said.
"Ixcia what info do we on these Orewellians?" Dipper asked.
Ixcia explained. "They are an isolationist state bordering on xenophobic that have let very few on their planet. Not much is known about their culture except that their leading body is the Shepherds' Council and every decision is brought to them for approval."
"I guess that explains somethings."
The orbital controller came back on the comm. "You have been granted permission to land. If you leave your ship you must leave all weapons and scanning equipment onboard. Scans show your ship is equipped with an artificial intelligence and a robot; you are to shut them off until you leave. Not following these regulations will result in harsh penalties."
"Ixcia will you and Soostron be okay if you're shut off?" Mabel asked.
"As long as our hard drives are intact, we will be fine. It will be as if no time has passed for us." Was Ixcia's answer.
"We'll only be down there for ninety minutes at most." Dipper said.
They landed in a city where all the buildings looked like grey interconnected cubes and streetlamps with cameras were everywhere. The Orewellians left the ship and their escape pods were unloaded as soon the door was opened. "Not even a thank you." Pacifica complained.
Mabel just blew the whole thing off. "Forget about them, we should all focus on our double date. I'm also hoping we can find a barber shop; I want to ask for some of these sheeple's hair to knit Giddy and me matching sweaters."
"I'm sure I'll love them my queen." Gideon said.
The group arrived at the café. "We're lucky that this place takes quan since these people don't trade." Dipper said as he and Pacifica sat at one said of the table while Gideon and Mabel sat on the other. "It's not very high and the chairs are kind of small, feels like I'm trying to sit at the kiddie table."
Pacifica tapped her finger on the table. "It's built for them. Let's just hope the food is good."
Thirty minutes later the four had left their food half-finished but they were talking and laughing while ignoring the stares of the locals. "And that's how we helped Soos met his girlfriend Melody." Mabel had just finished her story.
"Always the romantic. You knew just what do like now with this double date." Gideon said.
Dipper agreed. "Yeah this is was a good idea, thanks Mabel."
"It's nice spending time like this, talking about romantic things with friends and my boyfriend." Pacifica said looking into Dipper's eyes. "Makes me want to do something romantic myself."
"Me too." Dipper said with a smile as he and Pacifica kissed.
"That gets me in the kissing mood too." Mabel said.
"Of course." Gideon and Mabel began to kiss too. Both couples kissed long and passionately, playing with each other's tongues.
None of them noticed the local's shocked faces, mothers covered the eyes of their children. Then all the Orewillians made a loud continuous baaing sound while alarms and red flashing lights came from nearby streetlamps. When the Ixcia crew broke out of their kisses they were surrounded by police in yellow uniforms pointing guns at them. "You are under arrest!" one of them said.
"For what charge?" Dipper asked.
The sheep like aliens had a disgusted looks on their faces as the officer in charge said. "Public Display of Affection!"
Seven years later,
"Wait you guys were arrested for PDAs?" Erika asked. "That sucks!"
"Erika and I don't agree on much, but I know a dumb law when I hear one." Wendy said.
"Outlawing kissing? That's crazy!" Grenda yelled.
"How can they date if no one can kiss?" Candy asked.
"They couldn't even hug!" Mabel said. "Just holding hands would have given you a verbal waring!"
"They lived in a highly regulated surveillance state." Dipper explained. "Just about every facet of life was controlled. We were told that the state arranged marriages based on genetic factors."
"That is whack dudes!" Soos said.
"If you were all arrested then is this one of the times you went to prison isn't it?" Ford asked.
"Yes, while Dipper and Mabel were arrested once before we joined them, and Gideon was sent to jail as a kid once this was my first time." Pacifica said crossing her arms and doing her breathing exercise.
"The old me would have been mortified to hear you went to prison but hearing what idiotic crime you were charged with makes me want to sue them for damages!" Preston yelled.
Robbie remembered something. "Mabel you said you had bad luck with lawyers like me and you tended to knock them out. I take it you didn't have a competent defense."
"If it were only that!" Mabel said. "Robbie you are by far the best lawyer we ever had. The first one I punched him over a misunderstanding, but this guy deserved it!"
Seven years ago,
They were all in a grey room with a camera on them, with their trial to begin in less than twenty minutes. A man in a maroon suit came in. "I was assigned as your legal advisor." He said.
"Good, there's not much time. We were not aware that what we were doing is a crime on this planet!" Dipper explained.
"You weren't aware of the law?"
"We weren't on this planet for an hour before we were arrested!" Mabel said in a panic.
Gideon joined in. "The only reason we came to this planet was to bring members of your military home after we rescued them!"
"If you explain things to the judge then he can dismiss the case and we'll leave and never come back! Please we just want to find our way home!" Pacifica pleaded.
"I understand. But you must understand that crime here is so rare the shepherd's council judge every trial themselves and the whole planet is going to see." Their lawyer said.
The Ixcia crew were brought to a chamber with seven older Orewellians that wore red robes and held staffs that looked like a shepherd's crooks. They all sat at a semicircular table as more cameras were trained on them. "Bring the accused forward." One of them ordered before the humans sat down. "What is the violation?"
"Civic conduct ordinance 565." An officer said.
"Open mouths?" a female member of the council asked.
"And tongues." The officer said with disgust. The female councilor almost fainted.
"I see we have video evidence of the crime but hopefully we don't have to subject more of the public to this debauchery. What do the accused plead?" a male councilor asked.
"They don't contest the charges." The advisor said.
"What?! No, we don't! I thought you said you understood!" Mabel grabbed her lawyer who was as tall as she was when she was twelve and lifted him up.
"What I said was I understand what you wanted me to do but my duty as your legal advisor is to get you to see the wisdom of the state and concede the verdict." The little man said.
The humans were not happy. "Can we represent ourselves?" Gideon asked.
"Yes." One of the councilors said.
Mabel looked her lawyer in the eye. "You're fired!"
Mabel tossed him into the wall knocking a tapestry off. The bar holding it up hit him in the head. "Yes sir, yes sir. Three bags full" their former legal advisor said before blacking out.
"Make your argument," said one of the shepherds. "But you are on very thin ice!"
Dipper stood up. "We came here to help some of your people but most of you barely spoke to us. When we arrived, we were told to deactivate our ship's computer and leave our equipment behind which we complied to. But no one told us anything about your laws. That what for us is the most natural thing to do with the one you love…" Dipper caste his gaze on Pacifica. "…is considered taboo in public here. We didn't mean to offend anyone but as I said we had no warning and we couldn't have known what we did was not allowed."
The council whispered with each other for a few moments. "You have offered a unique defense." The councilman in the center said. "And while we are grateful for what you have done for our brave soldiers, we cannot allow ignorance of the law to be a defense, nor does it excuse your lack of self-control! It would undermine the authority of this council which has protected our people since the first council repelled the Great Inferno a hundred and fifty years ago! Crew of the Ixcia we find you guilty on all charges and hereby sentence you to reeducation for no less than ten years! You will be taken to Ruberak prison where the males and females of your group will be separated. Hopefully this will teach you to control your primitive carnal instincts!" The councilman banged his staff on the floor and four humans once again found themselves surrounded with guns pointed at their heads.
They were taken and forced to change into green prison jumpsuits made for them as they were being transported, they saw Ruberak, it was a massive cube made of smaller cubes that shifted positions. "Alright aliens say your goodbyes. This is the last time you'll see the others for ten years." One of the guards who wore blue said.
"This can't be happening! Mason please tell me you have a plan!" Pacifica begged.
"I'll think of something Paz. We all will!" Dipper said taking Pacifica's hand.
"It's not fair! For you to fall in love with me after so many years only for us to be forced apart!" Gideon yelled.
Mabel could only cry as she embraced the man she loved. "Hey none of that! That's what got you in here in the first place!" The guards shocked them with small sticks that looked like shepherds' crooks. "Alright males to right females to the left."
"Mason!" Pacifica cried.
"Pacifica!" Dipper called back.
"Gideon!" Mabel sobbed.
"Mabel! They can't keep us apart!" Gideon yelled.
Dipper and Gideon were pushed down a hole in the roof into a room with other prisoners and guards on floating platforms. "Welcome to Ruberak." One of the guards said. "Feel free to try and escape, since it is impossible, we find it helps prisoners realize to futility of thought against the shepherds." One guard said. No sooner than he did then Dipper and Gideon threw him off his platform and used it to fly back up the hole only for them to find themselves in a different chamber.
"How?" Dipper asked before they were shocked off.
Another guard brought the first one in from a completely different direction. "This place shifts and changes so much you can never find your way out without our permission." He explained. "You get two meals a day and you must attend mandatory reeducation sessions and patriotic rallies."
Much the same happened on the woman's side. "No thank you! I had my brain messed with enough for one lifetime! I don't need anymore!" Pacifica said.
The girls were led to a chamber with their cell. "Great the beds are sized for them too! If we want to sleep, we'll have to curl up in a ball." Mabel complained.
"Mabel is being in prison as hard as T.V. makes it look?" Pacifica asked as thick plastic door closed and locked them in.
"Well the one I went to before didn't separate men and women so at least we shouldn't have to worry about other inmates trying to have their way with us. But if they did try that with you, they'd find themselves with broken bones."
"I remember what you guys told me about Boulder. Mason protected you from him. Mason…"
"We will not let this place break us Pacifica!" Mabel declared. "These sheep may have forgotten what love is but we are going to show that nothing will stand in its way! Not if Mabel Pines has anything to say about it!"
The next morning the guys were given breakfast. "Not as bad as algae bars but it's close." Gideon said poking a bowl of orange goo with a spoon."
Dipper used his food to draw a line. "There has to be a pattern in how the chambers move or a point to control them. How else can they keep men and women apart in place that's always changing?"
"Can you figure it out?"
"I hope so."
The girls watch the guards come and go. "They got to have a way to keep from getting lost." Mabel said.
"The other prisoners have been avoiding us." Pacifica noted. "Not that surprising since we're so much bigger than they are. At least they won't mess with us."
A week later they were in one of their reeducation sessions. "Pacifica don't you see that giving your choices over to a higher authority is better for everyone?" a female therapist asked.
Pacifica crossed her arms. "For you people maybe, but I spent too much of my life with no say in how it goes! I am in control me! Your leaders focus so much on the big picture they forget the lives they affect. And FYI you are nowhere near as good a therapist as Ixcia."
"Why can't you be more like your friend Mabel, she's taking part in the group activity."
"And done." Mabel said.
"Good now show your art project with the color of your role in society." Mabel held up a clay pot painted like a rainbow.
"I don't understand." The therapist said confused.
"I painted it in a rainbow because I can choose what I want to be just like everyone else. Reach for your dreams ladies!"
The orewellian prisoners looked at Mabel like she was crazy. "I'm not sure I can take ten years of this. You two are going to be difficult patients."
"And proud of it." Pacifica said taking a card from the therapist without her noticing.
Dipper meanwhile pulled a circuit board out of his pant leg and hid it in a compartment under his bunk. "Do you think they saw us?"
"No." Gideon answered. "I rerouted their camera feeds, all they know is that something happened."
"It may take a few days' work but with this we can gain control of the cubes."
A week later Mabel and Pacifica were in their cell at lights out. "Mabel are you okay? You look sad." Pacifica asked.
"It's been two weeks since we're separated. This is the longest we've been apart since the four of us got back together. I never been apart from Dipper this long for my whole life and I can't help but worry. I can't help but think that if we do escape with, we'll still never find each other. I can't bear the thought of never seeing Gideon again." Mabel began to cry.
"I understand." Pacifica was crying too. "I miss your brother so much it's driving me crazy!" Pacifica calmed herself down. "Look at us, a couple love struck girls when we might be those guys only hope." Pacifica took the card she stole from its hiding spot.
"All that wandering, and we found only one locked door that wasn't another cell."
"This has to be the key to the exit now if only we find a way to get to the guys."
At the same time in the men's side Dipper and Gideon were working on the device they were building. "Just a small adjustment here, and now I just need the data and were good to go." Dipper said.
"Right here." Gideon wired the device to a stolen tablet. "You really think this will tell us where the girls are?"
Dipper worked the makeshift controls. "It does and the exit. We just need to let this charge for the rest of the night, and we'll pull it off we everyone's distracted by the rally tomorrow." Dipper placed their invention in it hiding spot.
"I'm not sure if I can sleep, I keep having nightmares of Mabel being hurt."
"I know what you mean. I have those too. Our bond as twins makes me think of her whenever I'm not thinking of Pacifica. The fact that I know she loves me but we're being kept apart feels worse than when I was obsessing over Wendy but being afraid of rejection. But all that ends tomorrow, after we get out, we'll need to steal a vehicle and sneak back to Ixcia."
"Anything to keep our family safe brother."
Out in the countryside a portal opened. The creature stepped out back onto the world that was its most frequent nesting grounds after so many years and long travels through worm holes and space. It looked up at the moons, it was home.
The next day the weekly rally began. "Before you reenter society you must be aware of the current state of the war with the Grand Cosmic Imperium." One of the guards said.
"All hail the Shepherds! Down with the Imperium! All hail the Shepherds! Down with the Imperium!" the other prisoners chanted.
"That's about the only thing about these guys I like." Dipper said.
The guard continued. "Last night the Council of Shepherds agreed to follow Empress Stellara on the path to enlightenment. Our people are now proud members of the Grand Cosmic Imperium."
"All hail the Shepherds! Long live the Empress! All hail the Shepherds! Long live the Empress!" The crowd cheered.
Dipper slapped his forehead. "Seriously! These guys really are sheep!" he whispered.
Gideon led Dipper to the door. "Let's just leave them to their chanting and get the girls." They gone into the next cube and pulled out their controller.
"If they hold things at the same time for both sexes then they should be having a rally in the females exercise yard." Dipper paused before hitting the switch. "Once we move, I'm sure alarms will go off all over."
"I'm ready!" Gideon said as Dipper push a button. When they felt the cube stop moving like Dipper said alarms went off. They opened the door they saw women prisoners at a rally with Pacifica and Mabel with them.
"Dipper, Gideon!" Mabel said.
Realizing what was going on Pacifica grabbed the electric prods from two nearby guards and shocked them. "Great timing! I take it you heard about the Imps!"
"Let's get out of here." Dipper said waving the girls in. He moved the cube to what was marked as the exit.
When the door opened, they found themselves in front of another door with a card reader on it. "Good thing we got this!" Mabel said pulling the keycard out of her shoe.
"Working together there nothing that stands in this family's way!" Dipper said as the door opened.
However, on the other side of the door a familiar face met them along with a squad of centurions. "It has been a long time, heretics. I came here to bring you to my ship for execution and you came right to me." Captain Kondar said.
"What are you doing here wind bag?" Gideon asked.
"It was my tactics that lead to the conquest of this world. Once I realized that all battle tactics had to be approved by the Council of Shepherds, I just had to jam their transmissions back home to freeze their fleets in indecision. The Hand of Suprema's fire power did the rest and the council surrendered last night with the only condition that they continue to lead this world as Imperium officials."
"They lied to their people to keep themselves in power." Dipper said. Outnumbered and outgunned Pacifica dropped her weapons and the humans surrendered.
It smelled a familiar scent in the air, the small things that freed it. On them was the scent bondage that once covered itself. It saw a small craft fly from a large box to a ring floating in the sky over a large lake. The creature made its way to the ring.
The Ixcia crew were brought before the council on the Hand of Suprema. The room they were in had four poles in a line, under suspended red orbs, a dummy was tied to one of them. The orb above glowed and a red light shot down and in an instant the dummy became nothing but a wisp of vapor. "Quick and painless, a merciful death. Your execution will show this world Imperium justice." Kondar said pointing to a camera.
"I didn't kill Veritas, Duradis did." Dipper to explain as the crew was secured to the poles. Dipper was on one end followed by Pacifica, then Mabel and Gideon.
Kondar tilted his head back with an indignant look on his face. "Lies and excuses won't help you now. There is no doubt about your guilt for the crime of heresy."
"Why? Why were we charged with heresy?" Mabel asked crying.
"Excuse me?"
"Dipper and I were just two kids asking for help and the next thing we knew your old emperor called every human a heretic. Why?"
"You truly don't know why?" Kondar asked.
"You Imps tend to shoot first and answer questions never!" Pacifica snapped.
Kondar ignored the comment. "Well then I should tell you."
"Is that necessary?" One of the Councilmen asked.
"I am an officer and a gentleman; it wouldn't do for me to execute prisoners ignorant of their crime. Besides as Imperium citizen you should know this too." Kondar turned back to his prisoners. "Five thousand years ago Primeros the first emperor was given a vison, he foresaw the great enemy, a being whose name shall not be spoken aloud, would arise from a particular area of space, with thousands of galaxies, and he would lay waste to the order of that he and his family would bring and cause untold suffering. Thus, Primeros forbade anyone to go in or out of this Forbidden Space lest they be tainted with evil and he also began the great conquest of neighboring galaxies to build up an army strong enough to combat this enemy when that dark day arrives."
"And what does this have to do with us?" Gideon asked.
"Eight years ago, our forces found the wreckage of a Zoxnar ship that was attacked by space pirates. The computer was badly damaged, but we were able to find that the ship had used an illegal quantum infuser to travel to and from Forbidden Space in hopes of getting a bioweapon to fight us. Other than their mission, the only fact about their trip to Forbidden Space was an image of the galaxy they went to and four days later two beings submitted an image of their home galaxy hoping to find their way back, it was the same. Our computers informed Emperor Grandus after which he made his judgement. You four are born of Forbidden Space, born of evil and must be destroyed."
"That's why? For something we never had a choice in?" Dipper asked stunned about what they had just learned.
"I am afraid so. Your only hope is to be reborn outside of that dark place in your next life." Dipper wracked his brain trying to figure a way out of this mess but there was nothing he could do. "Is there any final request before your sentence is carried out?" Kondar asked.
"Marry us!" Dipper yelled.
Kondar was confused. "Excuse me?"
Dipper tuned to Pacifica. "I love you and if this really is the end then then the only real regret I would have, is that we never married. So, will you marry me Pacifica?"
"Oh, Mason yes!" Pacifica cried.
"Us too!" Mabel said.
"Yes, I waited years for Mabel to love me back and even if it is just a few more moments I want to spend the rest of my life as Mabel's husband."
"As captain of this ship you can perform a marriage ceremony, right? Dipper asked.
"Yes, I can." Kondar said.
"Sir you're not seriously going to do as these heretics ask?" one of the centurions guarding them asked.
"I will, if they wish to seek their final moments in comfort with each other then I shall. Not only as officer, or a gentleman, but as a hopeless romantic." Kondar sighed. "I want no interruptions, am I understood?"
"Yes sir!" all the centurions said.
Kondar took a deep breath and began. "We are here this day because these souls wish to share their journey with each other. To join their light together and shine their love on the universe." Kondar turned to Dipper. "Do you Mason Pines pledge your heart to this woman? To share with her your joys and sorrows, your triumphs and tragedies, until death separates you?"
"I do." Dipper said.
The Captain turned to Pacifica. "Do you Pacifica Northwest pledge your heart to this man? To share with him your joys and sorrows, your triumphs and tragedies, until death separates you?"
"I do." Pacifica said with a smile.
Gideon's turn was next. "Do you Gideon Gleeful pledge your heart to this woman? To share with her your joys and sorrows, your triumphs and tragedies, until death separates you?"
"Yes, I do." Gideon said.
Finally, Kondar spoke to Mabel. "Do you Mabel Pines pledge your heart to this man? To share with him your joys and sorrows, your triumphs and tragedies, until death separates you?"
"I do. Always and forever!" Mabel proclaimed.
Kondar gave a satisfied nod. "Then by the authority of the Grand Cosmic Imperium, from this moment onward let it be known you are now husband and wife. Begin the execution." The orbs above them began to glow and the newlyweds braced for the end when the whole room shook, and the orbs dimmed. "What's going on now?"
"Sir!" a voice over the comm spoke. "It has broken into the ship and is tearing it apart! Nothing we throw at it can even slow it down! Arrrrgh!"
"What is it? Report!" Kondar demanded but there was only static. Then bursting out of the floor a familiar large red reptile broke the bonds holding the crew of the Ixcia.
"Wait isn't that the dragon we saved before we were abducted?" Dipper asked.
"It can't be!" the Shepherds council all screamed. "The Great Inferno has returned!"
"Large fire breathing monster? Yeah, Great Inferno is a good name for it." Mabel said.
Pacifica couldn't believe what was happening. "So, the reason these creeps are in power is because my ancestor enslaved this dragon and the first council took credit for it? What a bunch lairs, the lot of them!"
The centurions fired on the dragon, but their weapons had no effect accept making it angry. The dragon breathed fire and the council ran while their robes and wool were singed. It then lowered its head to the humans. "He remembers us!" Gideon said climbing on while the others followed. The dragon broke through walls jumping into the air flying by flames coming out of its feet and rear.
"No, they won't escape me again! Not like this!" Kondar yelled.
Then the P.A. system said. "Engines failing! All hands brace for impact!"
As the Hand of Suprema fell into the lake below Kondar grabbed the hair at the top back section of his head and tore it out while he screamed. "Noooooooooo!" Now there was only hair on the base of his skull.
Taking hold of the dragon's horns Mabel steered their savior to the dock where Ixcia was still parked. They got off and the dragon walked off having a happy rampage across the city. "Thanks, old friend!" Mabel said waving goodbye.
"Ixcia, reactivate and prepare for emergency launch." Dipper ordered.
"Confirmed." Ixcia said coming back online. She opened the cargo door, and everyone ran inside seeing Soostron turn back on as the ship lifted off. "You changed clothes. What happened on your date?" Ixcia asked.
"We'll explain later!" Gideon said.
"The Imps are here! Cloak us and jump out of this system!" Pacifica said.
Ixcia understood. "Confirmed. Hyper jump in 5…4…3…2…1." They were out of the system. "I must assume I was offline for more than an hour, what happened?"
"It's been two weeks Ixcia." Dipper explain making his way up to the living quarters to change his clothes.
"Yeah we were arrested for kissing of all things and the Imperium took over the night before our escape attempt." Gideon said.
"It was just luck we got out alive. We were rescued by a creature we met just before we all were abducted." Pacifica continued after everyone changed clothes. She put their prison uniforms into the port airlock and blew them into space.
The conversation went back to Dipper in the common area. "But the thing is we finally know why the Imperium declared us heretics, our home galaxy is in a region they call forbidden space. Ixcia what do you know about it?"
"I do know it's location compared to the Isoban galaxy, however if we do get a quantum infuser to find one galaxy in a region as vast as forbidden space would take three hundred years if we search galaxy by galaxy."
"So, we need a map or a chart of the region to narrow the search down to our lifetimes."
"What I don't understand is how that dragon got from earth to a planet in another galaxy." Gideon asked.
"I have information on these creatures. They can find trans-dimensional wormholes to travel vast distances, however the technology to detect these phenomena doesn't currently exist."
"So much for that being an option to get us home." Pacifica groaned.
Mabel clapped her hands. "Guys, you're all forgetting the most important thing. We all just got married!"
"I have missed a lot, congratulations all of you." Ixcia said as Soostron did a floaty dance.
"Oh! How could I have forgotten?" Gideon said flustered.
"You don't regret it do you Giddy?"
"Of course not, Mrs. Gleeful." Gideon chuckled.
Pacifica leaned her head on her new husband's shoulder. "Pacifica Pines, I like the sound of that."
"Me too." Dipper said. He then had a lot of thoughts rush into his head. "Oh man! We don't have wedding rings! Jewelry can be expensive, and we don't have a lot of quan now! How are going arrange our room assignments? None of our beds are big enough for two people! Wait I never had sex before! What if I'm bad at…"
"Mason." Pacifica said pulling Dipper into a kiss. "You're spiraling. Don't worry, Ixcia check to see if we got any job offers in the past two weeks."
"We have three." Ixcia said.
"Good, we can save up on new beds and we can make do in the meantime."
"Yeah and your forgetting that out here we can get things made of gold and synthetic diamonds for cheap. It's going to be okay Bro-Bro." Mabel said.
"And as far as sex is concerned, I know it's a skill you get better at with practice and I intend to give you a lot of it. Before with the Felggur I tempted a lot of my victims with my body but now it is only for you, you will have in love what no one else could."
Dipper smiled. "Yeah, you guys are right, this whole thing started out as a nightmare but look at us now. We know which way home is now and we're closer than ever before. We should celebrate! We should still have fresh enough food to make Drindar sandwiches and Apa tea. Then I was thinking we all start practicing."
After the food was done the four lovers were drinking and laughing and just happy to be together. They had Eyes on the Imperium on. "The planet Orewellis is in chaos after the revelation of the lies concerning a long-standing threat by the previous government. Former members of their space forces have resumed hostilities, fires and protests have broken out and are still out of control, and local law enforcers are now engaged in open rebellion. The lead of the Orewellis front, Captain Kondar was not available for comment as he was too busy in salvage operations of the warship Hand of Suprema."
Gideon had something to say. "You know, while I am glad Mabel is taking my family name, I considered myself a part of the Pines family for years now."
"Me too." Pacifica said.
"Those Imps aren't going to stop us from getting home!" Mabel said rising her glass.
"Our home in forbidden space." Agreed Dipper.
The family gave a big cheer. "Pines! Pines! Pines!"
Seven years later,
"I told you God was watching over you." Sarah said. "The kindness you showed that creature was repaid."
"Yeah talk about good karma." Wendy agreed. "And that's where you got that three-hundred-year figure from."
"But there is no need to worry about this great enemy." Ford said. "They already told me about that part, and I can assure all of you he is no longer a threat."
Pacifica looked at the ring she got a few weeks afterward. "It wasn't the wedding I dreamed of, but it certainly was one I'll never forget."
Dipper then got an idea. "Hey why don't we renew our vows? Have a proper wedding for you guys to enjoy. That way we can get the certificate with witnesses and everything."
"That's a great idea Dipper!" Mabel said.
"I'd love to see my queen in a wedding gown." Gideon agreed.
"And we'll pay for it all. Whatever you want." Preston said.
"Just as long as we do it on the same date." Pacifica wished. "We couldn't celebrate it every year, but I want to keep our anniversary."
"When is your anniversary?" Andrew asked.
Dipper pulled out the Scantrix. "Ixcia can you convert it to the earth calendar?"
"The proper date would be August 24th." Said the A.I.
"One week before summer ends and our birthday." Mabel cheered.
"Oh boy, you guys know I cry at weddings." Stan said.
"Think Amelia could be your flower girl?" Grey asked.
"Of course! She'd be perfect." Agreed Pacifica.
So that was it. They were going to have another wedding. The space explores gazed at their partners and thought back to their wedding night.
Seven years ago,
"I think you should move into our rooms." Mabel said. "We picked those so we could get to the bridge fast in case of emergency."
"I'm fine with that but I'll miss the painting Mason made for me." Pacifica sighed.
Dipper smiled and took his wife's hand. "It will still be there. That is your space and you can go back to talk to Ixcia whenever you like."
"Sounds good me." Gideon said.
"Good." Mabel rubbed Gideons chest and then began pushing him into their room. "Now come on Honey! It's time to get on to the main event of the evening! Goodnight Bro, you're going to do great but not as good as us!"
Gideon was surprised at Mabel eagerness. "Oh my!"
Pacifica laughed. "I glad to have her as a sister-in-law."
"Things are never boring with her around." Dipper did a bow as he opened the door. "After you wife."
"Thank you, husband."
They went in and a few minutes later as Soostron went to the bridge do make a minor adjustment he heard. "Pacifica, how long have you had that tattoo?" That night there were no more virgins aboard the Ixcia. That first night of passion reaffirmed that no matter what challenges lay ahead, the Pines family would face them together.