a wedding finally :)

Ah the blissful quiet of hyperspace. Soniee hadn't even realized how the consciousness of a trillion beings had been pressing on her mind for the last month. Maybe she and Korkie could just live in hyperspace. Well, no, that wouldn't work because they'd need to stop eventually to refuel, and fuel would cost credits. But she did have a freighter of her very own now. Maybe they could move freight? But that would mean they would have to deal with customers and suppliers. Well, Korkie could do that. He was the orator after all. Yes, that's what they would do. She and Korkie would just travel the galaxy together in her freighter and spend as much time as possible in the quiet of hyperspace.

1K0 interrupted her daydream. "I would hazard a guess that what you would like to show Master Korkie is in the bottom of one of the crates in the hold?"

"Yes!" Soniee grinned. "Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking." Leaving the controls to her precise calculations. She followed the droid down the corridor and back to where her clothes, Satine's clothes, were packed away.

She couldn't remember which crate it was and of course it had to be the last one they opened. The hold was a mess of multicolored fabric when they left it, but they didn't have time now to clean it up. Soniee had found what she was looking for and she would have to hurry, with 1K0's help, to get dressed and ready before they reached realspace.

"Oh," the droid crooned. "I am so glad that the duchess chose to leave to you her wedding gown. I was never able to see her wear it but she surely couldn't have been more beautiful in it than you are now."

Soniee looked at herself in the mirror on the door of the refresher in her cabin and bit her lip. Miracle of all miracles, it fit, and it was lovely, trimmed in lace and delicate beadwork. Although, she wouldn't go so far as to say she looked better in it than the duchess would have. "I'll still need... my hair and..." she grimaced touching again the spot on her neck. "makeup."

"I will take care of everything." 1K0 chirped. "Just sit down and be still."

She tried her best to be still but she was fidgeting too badly for the droid to work. Finally 1K0 grabbed a datapad off the desk. "Here! Take your exam and let me finish!"

Soniee let her mind center on the essay in front of her. She found it remarkably easy, especially after her time in the senate chamber. She didn't realize how much she had learned in her short time as a representative.

"There." 1K0 finished just as Soniee pressed the button to close the document. Now she only had to send it in and baring some crazy mistake that meant her failure on this exam she had as good as graduated. She didn't stop to look in the mirror again. She knew that they would soon be out of hyperspace and she wanted to be in her pilot's chair when the stars condensed back into points of light and she could comm Korkie.

The drop from hyperspace, as always, made her anxious and a little sick, but the system she'd calculated for was quiet and sparsely populated. The irony was not lost on her that she had been born in a freighter shortly after dropping out of warp and now she was about to be married in one.

"Alright, 1K0, can you keep an eye on things while I..."

"Of course, Mistress. Though I hate to miss the ceremony." the droid waddled into the cockpit.

"I'm sure someone will holorecord it so you can see it later." Soniee stepped through the door toward the galley but looked back a second. "Thanks for helping me get ready."

"I am pleased that the task is part of my directive."

Before entering the ID Korkie had given her, Soniee popped out the chip from her data pad and inserted it into the comm unit to turn in. She was proud to have finished her education before her wedding. Then with a deep breath, she placed the most important comm of her life.

She could imagine Korkie pacing. It had taken her longer than the half-hour she had promised him to get ready and he would surely be as nervous as she was. She programmed a one-way projection to begin with so she could keep her image a surprise. When the image appeared from his end however, she was afraid she had gotten the ID wrong. The Mando'ad in the image was in full beskar'gam.

"I'm sorry." She went to disconnect the comm but then he removed his helmet and her heart skipped a beat.

"Soniee? It's me." Korkie's hair had grown out just enough that he could pull it back in a small ponytail at the back of his neck and he had neatly trimmed beard. When she had been silent for a few seconds he started to look worried. "Soniee, are you there?"

"Yes," she started breathing again. "Yes, I'm here. I just... I didn't expect... Mandokarla!"

He smirked and her heart melted a little more. "Am I going to see what you wanted to show me?"

"In a moment. First, who's there with you?"

He motioned for someone to step forward and into the image walked two more armored men on Korkie's right and left. "I'd like you to meet Fenn Shysa and Spar, they've been training me the last few weeks. That's why I haven't been able to contact you."

The man to Korkie's right, Shysa, removed his buy'ce and gave her a bow. "It's a pleasure to finally meet ye, Lass."

The other man kept his helmet on and gave her a small nod but his voice was eerily familiar. "Ma'am."

"Nice to meet both of you." She answered them.

An older woman stepped into the image then. "Soniee, I'm Gran Viszla." She introduced herself. So this was the designer who was responsible for so many of the clothes she had inherited, including the dress she was wearing now.

"Hello." said Soniee.

Then Bo appeared also. "Hey, Ordo." And finally Momma and Lagos completed the circle. Momma's smile was fiercely proud but her eyes betrayed worry for this big step her daughter was taking. Lagos looked pale and drawn but determined to be a part of the event.

"Well then if that's everyone, I guess I had better..." Soniee finally pressed the button to reveal her own image. She glanced at the others to see their reactions but it was Korkie who's opinion mattered the most to her.

"I never thought I'd see the day..." Gran was saying but Soniee hardly noticed.

Korkie gazed at her in awe.

"Well," she turned in a full circle and then asked him. "Are you glad I made you wait a little longer?"

"Y-you know I think you're beautiful in whatever you wear but..." He swallowed. "Wow!"

Soniee blushed and sighed and they just stood their staring at each other until someone, maybe Bo, said, "Are you going to get on with it already?"

"Of course." Korkie smiled, nodding but then he looked confused.

"Have ye forgotten the words?" Shysa asked with a chuckle.

"No. No I know what to say." Korkie cleared his throat. "Soniee, Mhi solus tome..."

They hadn't discussed beforehand how they would say their vows but she jumped right in with the first line as soon as he had finished it. "Mhi solus tome..."

His face broke into a grin at her eagerness, "Mhi solus dar'tome."

Soniee repeated the second line blinking back happy tears.

And then Lagos swore and ran from the room with her hand pressed over her mouth.

"She's er..." Korkie started to explain.

Soniee nodded, "I know. Let's finish though, alright?"

He smiled and then closed his eyes as if trying to remember where they had left off. "Mhi me'dinui an."

"Mhi me'dinui an." She promised.

He opened his eyes and looked intently at her. "Mhi ba'juri verde."

This was honestly the hardest part for her. She hadn't been lying to Fox when she'd told him that she wasn't ready to be a mother. She'd never been around young children. Soniee was an only, adopted child and she didn't know anything about her own birth parents. She couldn't imagine carrying a baby like Lagos was now. But she swallowed and finished the last line. "Mhi ba'juri verde."

And then everyone was cheering and patting Korkie on the back.

"I'm so happy for you, Ad'ika." Momma said through her tears and Soniee knew she meant it even though she felt like she was losing her daughter.

"I love you, Ordo'Buir." She wished she could hug Momma and reassure her that she wasn't losing anything.

And then Bo was shunting them all away from the holotable. "Come on, folks. Let's give the lovebirds some privacy."

"So that's it then," Korkie said breathlessly once they had all gone. "We're married."

Soniee could hardly believe it. "And I can't even hold your hand or give you a hug."

"Yet." He said firmly. "You'll be here soon. And then I'll make it up to you. This last month that we haven't spoken... I'm so sorry, Soniee. But now..." He grinned. "One when we're apart and one when we're together."

"I'm sorry, too." She bit her lip. "For doubting you..."

"Hey." He frowned. "I'm sorry about Lagos running out like that. You knew she was..."

"Yeah, she commed me a few hours ago, but I knew before that. I could sense it, a new life."

"I kind of wish it was us," he admitted.

"Korkie." She sighed. "Let's not... I mean... could we wait a bit? I just don't think I'm ready to..."

He looked disappointed. "I guess we don't have to try but if it happened right off, it would be like a gift from the Force. We could be a real family."

She didn't want to dash his hopes. "W-we'll see, I suppose."

He smiled again. "I really can't wait to see you, to eh... touch you."

A pleasant shiver ran through her and then she frowned again. "Have you thought about where we'll go, where we'll live?"

"I have a room here at the Oyu'baat tonight." He gazed at her intently again. So that's where he was. That made sense. She nodded. "But after that, no I hadn't really thought that far ahead. We could go back to Concord Dawn with your mother if you want or there are some nice places up north where I was training..."

"Or I have my ship." She smiled. "We could just fly around the galaxy together."

"That sounds amazing! Hey Soniee, will you do something for me?" he asked.

"Sure, anything."

"Keep your dress on till you get here." It was hard to tell in the holo image but she thought he might have been blushing.

"You want to see it in person? It was supposed to be your mother's. She- I guess she wanted me to have it. And it really is something. That woman, Gran Viszla, designed it." Soniee rambled but then she stopped when she saw the look he was giving her.

"I just want to be the one to take it off you."

Another shiver of anticipation and desire ran through her. "Alright," she whispered, then she grinned. "And what about all that armor?"

"You like it?" He posed, stroking his chin.

She looked him over appraisingly. "I'm not sure about the beard."

"You don't like it?" He frowned.

"I'll let you know after I find out what it feels like when you kiss me."

Korkie laughed. "I love you, Soniee."

"I love you, too."

"Hurry home."

"I will."

To be continued...

This is the end of one story and the beginning of another. taking a break for a couple of weeks (probably) to get set for NaNoWriMo and hopefully get my hands on a copy of "Star Wars: Ahsoka" to get some more info on the Siege of Mandalore and doing some research on Onderon and then the next story will pick up right where this one leaves off. Plenty of drama still to be had for the newlyweds!

Hey anybody interested in an alternate ending for this in which Fox gets the girl? I've been playing around with that idea for a few weeks. It would be rated M and probably couldn't end as happily as this one hmmm...

COMMENT PLEASE! thank you everybody who has been reading and commenting! I'd love to chat!