Author's note: Okay, I lied. The wedding is next, I promise. But there might be a chapter or two after that before the epilogue. I can't help it; Jennet just won't shut up. Hope this isn't too much of a disappointment :0)

As always, please review, if so inclined; I love to hear from readers. Thank you so much, everyone!

Always, LJ

Jennet

The fuss in getting ready was unbelievable; six women buzzing around, cosmetics strewn everywhere, hairbrushes and combs tossed on countertops. I was mostly ready, of course, but Mira insisted in touching up my face and hair before helping me strap into my armor. She and Ladria attached the cape, which swept dramatically to my heels. I was pleased; the dressmaker had done an excellent job with the phoenix embroidery. I'd made Canderous let Atton take a holo of his tattoo before I'd commissioned the wedding clothes, thinking it would be nice to have the badge somewhere on our persons. I hadn't even known it was a phoenix at the time. My cape was lined in blue, the same silk as my tunic. Elder Evana had helped a great deal in choosing the fabrics and colors.

Everyone else was adjusting their robes, shining boots, tending their hair. Megari looked lovely in a pale lavender dress that made her hair look a rich and even darker sable, her skin fairly glowing, and her eyes go a deep amethyst. Little Danni, who was, astonishingly, chatting away, had on a similar outfit, and she looked as pretty as her mother. Even her rag doll had a new dress, and I smiled. Danni had refused to part with her toy, and I was charmed.

Lorna, who was not a warrior, was in a simple tunic dress of deep green, her graying brown hair neatly done in a coronet of braids on top of her head. Except the hair, she didn't look any older than Canderous, yet I knew she was easily old enough to be his mother. She was flushed and excited as any of the younger women, and doing double duty keeping an eye on Danni as her mother dressed. I resisted the temptation to give her a spoon to carry by way of a weapon, but couldn't help but tease her about it.

"I was a bit of a disappointment to my family," she confided with a motherly smile when I mentioned this. "I was always better in the kitchen than the battlefield. But give me a frying pan and I'll defend my territory to the death!" She laughed, a hearty infectious sound that made all of us join in.

"Besides," she said, an impish look on her face, "no one complained about my lack of fighting skills when they were hungry after a battle. Good cooks are worth their weight in gold in an army."

I had to agree, and told her so. She beamed. "I knew the minute I saw you that you were the Lady of the Mandoa. You have sense that most warriors lack. The Mandalore has found a match in you."

Mira was in proper Jedi robes, which looked good on her but very different than her usual more provocative garb. I asked her about it, and she shrugged.

"I suppose I ought to look more the part," she said. "You did say be in fighting gear, at least for the ceremony."

"You've never worn them before," I said, smiling. "I kind of miss the other, though."

"I can wear that, if you prefer," she said, and I was astonished that she seemed a little anxious.

"No, it's okay," I assured her. "I was just teasing. Wear whatever you feel best in."

"Oh, thank the Gods," she said in relief, grinning. "I'll go change. I'll have to get used to Jedi robes, I guess, but they are so not my style. I didn't want to wear my regular stuff earlier though, it seemed…disrespectful. Even though I didn't know her. You know?"

"Yeah, I do." I gave her a friendly pat, and she ran off to change.

Ladria laughed. "The Order is a much more interesting group now," she said rather fondly as we watched Mira zoom out of the Phoenix to grab her stuff from the Ebon Hawk. "An ex-bounty hunter with a refreshing lack of pretension, a scholar-cum-soldier, a former Jedi hunter, an Iridonian mechanic, a Miraluka, and an exile. Not to mention Jolee and Stefan, both of who are characters in their own right."

"And a former Sith Lord," I added.

"Yes," Ladria suddenly looked sober. "If she's alive."

"She is," I said positively. "Visas would know if she wasn't. Or, I think, Carth. You'll find her."

"I intend to," Ladria said briskly. "Thanks to you, I'll have a place to start looking."

Mission wandered over, looking very pretty in traditional Twi'lik dancing garb of a lustrous dark blue, almost the same shade as my tunic. It set off her skin beautifully. She had a blaster on one hip and a sword on the other which should of looked odd with the costume, but on her didn't.

"I don't have any nice looking fighting gear," she lamented. "Will this be okay?"

"Perfect," I said, and hugged her.

"You look beautiful," she smiled, and hugged me back fiercely. "I know you're going to be very happy."

"I already am," I assured her.

I looked around for Visas, who was calm in the midst of all the chaos, looking regal and gorgeous as always in her red robes, lightsaber on her belt. She smiled at me across the room, and glided over to give me a hug as well.

"A half hour until sunset," she said softly. "Shall we have a drink?"

"Please," I said gratefully.

We gathered in the common area and I was just thinking about how to bring up the baby when Mira swept in like a whirlwind, battle gear slung over her shoulder and a ferocious frown on her face.

"Is there something you'd like to share with us?" she demanded, scowling at me. "I mean, we're your friends, right?"

"I was waiting for you to get back," I protested, knowing she must have heard something from the men. "I wasn't keeping things a secret, honest."

"What?" Mission asked, looking back and forth between us.

"She's pregnant," Mira announced, breaking into a huge smile, dropping her gear and running over to throw her arms around me.

There was a gasp of surprise, and everyone started talking at once, except Visas, who stood, quiet and calmly, a cat smile on her face.

"I knew it!" Lorna crowed, and hugged me so hard breathing became an issue.

"I thought you might be," Megari said softly as she hugged me in her turn. "I'm so glad for you."

"The guys were all talking about it when I went over there," Mira said. "Apparently the honor guard is already planning her weapons training and debating if she'll be as fast as her mother."

"Faster," I said, grinning. "She's half Mandalorian; it's in the blood."

"Ondorians are warriors too," Mira pointed out. "And Mandalorians are a lot bigger. They're strong, but not nearly as fast as you."

"I just hope she gets some of her father's height," I laughed.

"So it's a girl for certain?" Mission asked.

"So says Visas. I don't argue with a Miraluka," I grinned at Visas, who smiled her gentle smile back.

"Thought of any names yet?" Mira demanded.

"Helen," I answered. "Helen Miranne. For her grandmothers," I explained.

"Ohhhh, pretty," Mission enthused, and everyone nodded.

"She's going to have an extraordinarily extended family," Ladria smiled.

"That she is," I said happily. "How many children have half the Jedi Order as aunts and uncles, and a whole camp full of Mandalorians to spoil her rotten?"

"Hey, what about me and Megari?" Mission said, scowling at me, but I could see her mouth twitching.

"I was saving the best for last," I said, which earned me sunny smiles from those two, and loud mock protests from the others.

Satisfied at the commotion she'd caused, Mira disappeared to change, coming out looking much more like herself in her usual skimpy battle dress. I noticed that everything was clean and polished, and she'd taken pains with her hair and makeup. I complimented her warmly, and we all had a drink, waiting for the signal to leave.

Danni, who had been so animated she seemed almost a different child, wandered over to me, one tiny finger stuck in her mouth, the other hand clutching her doll. Taking her hand away from her mouth, she reached out and touched my stomach.

"Baby," she announced, and smiled up at me.

"That's right, sweetie," I said, and put out my arms, inviting her to climb up. She hadn't done that before with me, but I kept trying. To my intense gratification, she reached up, and I scooped her into my lap. She snuggled, and I held her close.

"Baby girl," she said, turning in my arms to put a hand against my belly. "Pretty." She looked up at me, her big purple eyes wide and smiling. "Like you."

"Oh," I said, my voice very small and a catch in my throat. "Thank you, darling."

She allowed me to hug her, then wiggled to get down. "Mama, I play with baby?"

Megari smiled. "It will be a while, sweetheart, before she's here and is big enough to play with."

"That's okay," she said complacently. "Bao Dur give me a brother."

Megari went suddenly scarlet, and we all fought not to laugh. But being the magnificent mother she is, she simply said, "I think you'd better wait for Jennet's baby, honey."

"Okay," the little girl said cheerfully, and took her doll to a corner to play.

There was a shifting as we all gave Megari a minute to get her face back to normal, and I motioned Visas over.

"She seemed awfully sure of the baby," I said quietly. "Of course, she heard the whole thing, but that remark after…I wondered if she has Seer ability."

"I've talked to Megari about it," Visas said smoothly. "I think she does. Megari has agreed that it should be nurtured. It's not an easy thing to live with, you know. But it's much worse if you're alone trying to make sense of what you See. I would not wish that on any child. I will help her, of course. She's a joy to be with."

"Definitely," I agreed.

Dax's voice boomed through the cabin. "Time to line up, my Lady." he shouted. "Ceremony's about to begin."

"You can come in, we're all decent," Mira shouted back, amused.

"We'll just meet you outside," Dax answered, and we laughed.

I looked around the cabin, seeing that everyone had thoughtfully tidied up after themselves. There would be another flurry of dressing after the wedding, when everyone changed into more comfortable clothes for the reception. It seemed easiest to keep it as an impromptu women's dorm for now. Megari, Mission, and Lorna wouldn't need it, but the others had said they would like to at least get out of whatever armor or heavy robes they were wearing. They had promised to take their things back to the Ebon Hawk before joining the party.

I smiled warmly at everyone. "We're ready," I said, and led us out of the Phoenix.