Authors: Stephanie Owens
The platform was entirely deserted
I could not see a single person anywhere on the landing.
I exited the ship looking around cautiously. I wished Sid or someone had come to greet me or at least given me some indication of what was going on and what I was to do.
At least the path between the trees was lit so that I would fall as I walked and look like a klutz for anyone who happened be watching.
I walked cautiously along the path watching for someone or something familiar.
I finally arrived at the banquet hall where our dinner the night before had been interrupted. The doors were closed so I gently pushed them open.
As I peaked around the opening of the door my mouth dropped open.
The room was full of people, each sitting watching the door. At the front of the room sat the entire family of governance for the planet waiting and quiet.
I knew I had been spotted so I walked into the room tentatively at first then resigned to whatever happened.
I furtively searched for Sid, hoping she would be there to rescue me from this situation.
I entered the hall and began the trek up the center aisle. The people within the hall showed no emotion giving me no idea of what to expect from this encounter.
I hoped whatever was going to happen would not threaten relations between this planet and the rest of the universe.
I felt I had been trapped. My mind raced, what was I going to do, that will teach me to keep it in my pants in the future!
My fears proved to be unfounded, though, as I approached the front of the room where the family all sat watching me, Sid appeared from out of nowhere.
She was a sight to behold adorned in a black silk dress with flowing jewelry and adornments. Her long flowing hair was assembled on top her head like a beautiful crown and her body was resplendent in the beautiful dress.
She smiled at me as I approached making all my fears melt away.
I approached her and she took my hand gently in hers leading us up to her father and mother.
The king and queen smiled at their daughter.
Sid said something in the old, ancient language of her planet that even the translator could not decipher but the meaning was obvious. Her parents looked to me and then back to her before acknowledging us as together.
Then her father spoke to me in a language the translator could discern.
“Mr. Chris, I invite you to court my daughter, we would be delighted to align with your family.”
I smiled and nodded, not knowing if I should nod or just say thank you but since thank you didn’t seem appropriate for this type of situation I decided to stay quiet.
Sid took my arm and we turned together to face the remainder of the room. She raised our hands together and the room erupted in a weird sound I assumed was cheering.
I turned and looked towards Sid, wondering exactly what was happening and how my mission to this obscure planet had somehow given me the partner I had always desired.
The announcement turned into a celebration and the room disintegrated into a vast celebration that extended well into the night. There were exotic, sensual dances that involved the entire assembly. The food poured from every door so that no one would go hungry. We laughed, we celebrated but most of all, Sid and I were inseparable. I even picked up a few words of her exotic language to the delight of Sid and her family.
The celebration went on through the rest of the day and night till people finally began leaving out of exhaustion.
I looked to Sid wondering what we should do and if I could take her home to my ship where we could spend our first full night together.
She nodded in ascent and we finally took our leave.
We headed back to my ship which I was surprised to see had been redecorated. Soft material fanned the entrances and the entire ship’s interior was covered in the silky material. The bedroom was no different and we went up and sat together on the soft bed surround by silky luxuriousness.
I took Sid in my arms and laid down with her on the silky bed. Our lives together were just beginning and our partnership would just make our work stronger.
Epilogue
We were descending into the deep murky atmosphere of the remote planet, millions of light years from both Cygnus and Mars. This was our first mission together after my company had agreed to take on Sid as an employee. The home base was a bit apprehensive about taking a member of the royal family from Cygnus into their work force but they gave in after I told them they would lose me if they said no.
This was our first mission together and we were tasked with partially a diplomatic mission given Sid’s position and part scientific investigation that lent itself towards my specialty.
As we descended through the planet’s atmosphere I looked over at Sid sitting next to me in the bridge of our ship.
She looked back at me and smiled.