Chapter 24

"The big day is here at last," Mamao'lani said, twinkling with excitement.

He, Vaughn and North were stood at the front of the base chapel, before the assembled guests in the pews. Mamao'lani wore a blue suit with blue-and-white striped tie; the UFP colours. The chapel was full, seeming even bigger, the atmosphere abuzz yet still reverential.

"In more ways than one," North added with a smile.

"This is all I've been looking forward to, sirs," Vaughn said, continuously radiating joy. "But it will be nice to be the first people married in the Federation."

"Of course," said Mamao'lani, "the Articles will take a couple of months before each member government ratifies them, making the union official, as a federal state allows each member some autonomy and authority..." North gave him a look. "But, for all intents and purposes, we're Federation citizens now."

North looked over his fellow citizens in the crowd. Everyone was radiating excitement, and while some of that was likely due to the wedding, they were probably all discussing the more historical events of the day. Even T'Ling and Sylor were talking animatedly, although McQueen was uncharacteristically subdued. One could feel it in the air - everything was different now.

He reflected on the road here. Millennia of conflict on Earth, gradually building alliances, then spreading peace out into the galaxy, slowly but surely. There had been conflicts, certainly, some of which he'd seen first-hand, but it had all been leading here. To the first ever multi-species, interstellar government. And, for him personally, to his accepting command of Starbase 1.

Both would surely lead to even greater things.

A hush swept the room as Mamao'lani, receiving a signal from an usher, bade everyone stand. Then Angie entered.

Even North had to admit she looked beautiful. Her white dress was extravagant, but not too flashy, with a wide skirt, long sleeves, high neckline, and a veil over her face. Beside him, Vaughn actually gasped.

But the surprises didn't end there.

North gave a nod to Sylor, who pressed a switch on his padd. Hidden projectors flashed to life, and four spectral holograms appeared, creating a new front row of two men and two women, all middle-aged. Vaughn and Angie's jaws both dropped in recognition, the crowd quietly murmuring.

"That's... my parents," Vaughn whispered. "And Angie's..."

"My wedding present to you both," North whispered back. "I called in a favour with Admiral Gardner."

Vaughn gave him a look of deep gratitude, then went back to staring at his equally grateful wife-to-be as she made her way down the aisle.

Further explanations could wait til later, but North had heard how relocating the wedding to Berengaria meant that the bride and groom's parents couldn't attend, and that had given him an idea. The base's REC Room used holographic scanning technology to simulate distant environments for remote conferencing or hazardous exploration, and there was a similar room in Starfleet Headquarters on Earth. He'd asked Gardner to arrange to have the parents shuttled over to use the simulator.

While their parents appeared here as intangible holograms, they were actually standing on a scanning platform almost 100 light-years away, wearing visors so they could see and hear what was happening here. They all looked delighted to attend.

Mamao'lani leaned in close to North and whispered, "Looks like the Great White North isn't so cold after all."

North resisted a smirk at the use of his old nickname. One he hoped to leave behind him.

Angie reached the top of the aisle, and held hands with Vaughn while everyone else was seated again. Mamao'lani began the opening preamble.

"Good afternoon, everyone, and on behalf of Angie and Rhys, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Starbase One's chapel. Especially to those coming all the way from Earth." Chuckles all around. "My name is Daniel Mamao'lani, and I will be conducting the ceremony and completing the legal record of the marriage. This ceremony will be in accordance with the civil law... of the United Federation of Planets!"

Applause from the crowd at that before Mamao'lani continued. North watched on with pride; glad that his young aide was happy, and absently wondering if it wasn't too late for he himself to find such happiness.

Again, he thought of his discussion with the Ambassador.


At the end of the ceremony, Mamao'lani pronounced Vaughn and Angie as husband and wife, to cheers and tears. North and Angie's friend Isa signed the marriage certificate as witnesses - North noting that the document was emblazoned with the UFP seal, which they'd all be seeing a lot more of. Then there were a few photographs as everyone filed out towards the reception.

North left the happy couple to chat with their parents before the connection had to be cut off. Unfortunately, due to the enormous power and processing requirements, the REC Room could only be engaged for brief periods.

As he wandered out into the hall outside the chapel, he heard someone call, "Commodore?"

It was Cross.

"Captain!" he said with a warm smile.

She nodded towards the chapel. "How was the wedding?"

"Beautiful," he said, and he meant it. "Should have poked your head in, I'm sure the newlyweds wouldn't have minded."

Cross chuckled. "I thought it best not to intrude. I just stopped by to see you, let you know that the upgrades to the Victory are complete. We'll be departing tomorrow morning, back to the Regulus Block."

This disheartened him. "You're not staying in the sector?"

"Afraid not. Our relocation here was solely so that I could complete my Intelligence mission. We're needed in the Suliban refugee effort."

North nodded, understanding, and glad to hear that Cross' xenophobia was indeed all an act.

"Well, it was great to see you again, Cross, and the old girl." His eyes flicked upwards, meaning the Victory. "We should... We should stay in touch."

Cross smiled. "I'd like that, sir. And you should come aboard before we leave tomorrow. Check that old girl out one last time. If you're not too hungover from tonight, that is."

"I might just do that," North said with a laugh.

"I know the crew would love to see you again. The ones... still around from the old days."

That sobered North, remembering those they'd lost in the war. "I... I'd like that too. Let them know how I feel about them. Which I should have done a long time ago."

Cross nodded. "Well, I'll let you get back to things. But, respectfully, sir... don't leave it too late."

"No..." said North, thinking about the future. "No, I won't make that mistake ever again..."