LIS Series End Challenge

Forces of Nature

Part 6

The wedding dinner was not exactly a celebratory affair for everyone, particularly Maureen. She watched her family chatter as they waited for the meal to be delivered. John was in deep conversation with Tom and Don. Judy, who sat next to Don, was quiet and had a pensive, distant look in her eye. Maureen wondered if Judy's contemplation reflected anticipation or apprehension. Judy kept one hand below the table, as did Don, and Maureen guessed that their fingers were intertwined.

Lieutenant Conway had, somehow, invited himself to the dinner and sat between Will and Penny. As Maureen listened to their spirited conversation, she understood that he was describing what little he knew about the environment of the planet. Both Will and Penny were responding enthusiastically, and Maureen realized that Penny was on the brink of her first romantic relationship. She had never seen her so glowingly happy.

There was an empty seat between her and Penny, and Maureen wondered if someone had miscounted, or if there was another expected guest. There was a commotion at the entrance to the officer's mess hall, and everyone turned. "I can walk, you punctilious pumpkin!" Dr. Smith exclaimed to the Robot as they entered the room.

"I am being punctilious because you have been relegated into my custody, Dr. Smith. You are a prisoner and I am your guard," the Robot responded.

"Prisoner? Pish-posh, that is ridiculous!"

Don stood and walked over to Dr. Smith. "Thank you, Robot," he said.

"You are welcome, Major West. I will remain on guard should the prisoner attempt to escape. And I give my hearty congratulations go to you and Miss Judy."

Judy joined Don and echoed her husband's sentiments. "Did you arrange this, Don?" Judy asked.

"Can't very well celebrate without the rest of the crew, now; can we?" he told her.

"Celebrate? And what are we celebrating, dear boy?" Dr. Smith asked.

"Dr. Smith, Don and I are finally married!" Judy told him.

"Who?" Dr. Smith asked. "You?"

"Do you remember who I am, Dr. Smith?" Judy asked.

"Of course, you are the lovely Judith Robinson. You were always so kind to me. And you married whom?"

Judy took her husband's arm and said, "Don."

Dr. Smith held his head back and looked down the bridge of his nose at Don. "Don… hm… I don't remember… hm… oh… wait… yes! The ruffian! Oh, my dear, you married him?"

Don rolled his eyes, took Smith by the arm, and led him to the chair beside Maureen. "Thanks, Smith, just keep your mouth shut and eat."

Dr. Smith sat beside Maureen and tucked the napkin under his chin, picked up his fork and knife and held them in each fist. "Food?" he said.

Don and Judy returned to the table, and Don held the chair for Judy as she sat. "Now that we're all here, I, um, I want to thank you all, even you, Smith, for helping us to celebrate."

Tom stood beside Don and said, "Wait." There were two bottles of wine on the table and he unwrapped the foil around the white. "It's not champagne, but I wasn't exactly prepared for a wedding dinner."

Don laughed. "No problem, Tom. We've learned to make do with what we have over the last few years," Don told him. As Tom poured the wine in everyone's glass, Don said, "I want to thank all of you for your support and patience with us over the years."

John stood and picked up his glass. He motioned to Don and Tom to sit. Will and Penny glanced at each other and then at the glass of wine sitting in front of them. "Go ahead," John told them. "It's a celebration."

"Besides," Jim Conway whispered to them, "there's no drinking age in space."

John shot him a stern look, and Jim closed his mouth. John turned his eyes onto his daughter and son-in-law. "We should be thanking you for your patience." He cleared his throat and continued. "Judy, Don… you've traveled a long road to this moment." John glanced at Maureen as he continued, "Though it took me a long time to accept it, I knew that you were destined to be together from the first time you laid eyes on each other. May your marriage be free from pain and blessed with beautiful moments… forever."

"Here, here!" Tom exclaimed. After sipping at his glass, Jim tapped it with his knife, and Tom, Maureen and John followed suit. Will and Penny had no idea what was going on, until Don and Judy kissed.

"What was that all about?" Penny asked Jim.

"Haven't you ever been to a wedding before?" Jim replied.

"Well, no," she explained. "I've been in space for the last six years."

"You've missed out on a lot, haven't you? I, uh, I guess I'll have to fill you in," Jim told her.

The aroma of baked chicken filtered through the doors as dinner was delivered. "Baked chicken, green beans, a baked potato?" Dr. Smith said. "I believe we are at a banquet. Yes, Yes! A banquet in my honor."

Don opened his mouth to shoot Dr. Smith a remark, but he closed it when Maureen placed a hand on Dr. Smith's arm and said, "Just enjoy the food, Dr. Smith."

When dinner was finished, Dr. Smith stood. "And now for my acceptance speech."

Tom held up his hand to stop him. "Not yet, Dr. Smith. We have music…" He nodded to Jim who walked over to a CD player on the side of the room.

"If our happy couple will please stand to open the dance floor," Jim said, as he took on the role of DJ. "Announcing for the first time… Major and Mrs. Donald West… dancing to… Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong…"

Don took Judy's hand and held her close. They hadn't danced this way since before they had departed Earth. Judy placed her head on Don's shoulder and he buried his face in her neck. Neither noticed that John invited Maureen to dance, or that Lieutenant Conway had the audacity to ask Penny.

As the music continued, John whispered to his wife, "Conway is moving a bit too fast."

Maureen sighed. "She is almost eighteen, John. I'm not sure there will be much we can do to slow them down."

The music stopped and Don and Judy still stood in the middle of the floor, not willing to separate. Jim reassumed his DJ duties and decided it was time to show Penny a little more of what she had been missing. Pearl Jam blared from the speakers and Don and Judy returned to their seats until the cake was delivered.

The cake was a small, round torte, but there were no tiny bride and groom figures sitting on top. Instead, a tiny toy figure of the Jupiter 2 adorned it and "Good Luck, Don and Judy" was written below it.

Don laughed as he picked up the tiny Jupiter toy. "Where the heck did this come from?" he asked.

"After you lifted off, a series of toys came out. I even have a tiny Robot," Jim told him, and he pulled it out of his pocket to show them.

Dr. Smith screamed. "The natives have attacked! They've shrunken the Robot!"

"Quick, cut him a piece of cake," Will told Judy as she hastily cut a piece and handed it to Dr. Smith.

Eating immediately calmed him, and Judy cut two more slices. She handed one to Don and they fed each other a small bite as daintily and neatly as they possibly could. As the rest ate their cake and sipped their coffee, Don whispered in Judy's ear, "Ready?"

She leaned towards him and whispered back, "I've been ready."

He took her hand and they stood together. "We, uh, have a room waiting for us," Don told the group.

"Penny," Judy called, "Catch!" she said as she tossed her bouquet to her sister.

"Wait! You haven't heard my speech, yet!" Dr. Smith exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Dr. Smith," Maureen told him. "The rest of us will be here to listen."

That comment was enough to clear the room. Will left with the excuse that he had to continue with his research. Jim asked Penny if she'd like to take a walk and Tom said that he had to check on… something.

John stopped Judy and Don from leaving as the rest of the family left the room. Don cringed hoping that he and Judy would not be forced to stay and listen to Smith. John took his daughter in a hug and said, "My little girl."

"I love you, Daddy," Judy told him.

John took Don's hand in a firm grip. His voice faltered as he said, "Take… take good care of her."

Don responded, "I will, John. I promise." When John didn't utter another word, Don visibly relaxed and nodded to him. Then he grasped Judy's hand and they left.

Two moons rose as Jim led Penny down a path away from the command center. He held out his hand and Penny took it.

"Thanks for getting me away from there," Penny told him.

"Well, there's a lot for me to show you," he told her. "I, um, I heard your birthday is coming up. Sweet eighteen and never been kissed?"

Penny was indignant at his assumption. "I've been kissed," she told him. "His name was Oggo."

"Oggo? An alien?" Jim asked.

"No, Oggo was a boy."

"What do you mean, he was a boy? Where was he from?" They reached the edge of the base and stopped at the perimeter of the force field. The moon reflected off the foliage casting the base in an eerie glow.

"I don't know where he came from, but he was as human as you and I."

"Can you show me how he kissed you?" Jim asked her in a teasing way.

She rose to her toes and kissed him on the cheek, but didn't lower herself. He turned his lips towards hers and Penny brushed her lips against his, then pressed harder and parted her lips. She circled her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Jim stepped away to catch his breath. "I'm, uh, I'm not sure if I'm going to show you, or you're going to show me…"

Don led Judy to a corner dormitory room that Tom had set aside for them. "Wait right here," he told her and he opened the door and slipped into the room. He was back out in thirty seconds and picked her up in his arms and stepped over the threshold. "Welcome to the Alpha Centauri Honeymoon Suite," he said as he laid her gently on the bed.

Judy surveyed her surroundings. "Oh, Don, it's beautiful!" There had to be a dozen lit candles scattered about the room. Another bouquet of flowers adorned the single dresser that was across from the bed. "But, Don, I wanted to wear something special for you tonight."

Don lay down beside her and said, "Trust me. You don't have to wear anything for me tonight." He leaned down and kissed her, and her body arched towards his in passionate desire. Her hand went around her waist, and he pulled her closer, kissing her until he could feel the depth of her soul. He pulled away and stared into her deep blue eyes and said, "I love you, Judy Robinson."

Judy took his face in her hands and smiled. "Judy Robinson West," she said and then pulled him down for an unending passionate kiss. The years of waiting were over… and both Judy and Don wondered why they had waited so long.

to be continued...