Double Helix Ch. 22

I growled to myself in frustration. Things would go better if I spoke to him about it in advance. I resolved to bring it up to him the next day.

I did not speak to Nock about it the next day. I'm fact, I didn't see him at all. I spent all morning and afternoon researching laser comms, also called optical wireless, what was commercially available, and how we might adapt existing tech for our use. It was a surprisingly under-developed technology, given the potential advantages.

I grabbed a pen and pad to do some trigonometry and frowned at the results. An optical transceiver placed where I had installed the radio antenna yesterday could project to a spot about 6 miles away at ground level. That distance would double if the receiving station were also elevated about 30 feet. That might just reach Corvallis, the closest real city to us. Eugene, to the southwest, was about 40 miles. Reaching it in one hop, either from here or from Corvallis would require our base station and the receiving station at 300 feet, well beyond what was reasonable to build without shouting our presence to everyone within at least ten miles. Besides that, distance and atmospheric conditions would degrade the signal.

Working against us was the lack of hills or mountains in the region, which might have greatly extended our range. If we stuck to rooftops and small structures, it would take a whole lot of repeating stations to get anywhere. Mt. Hood would make a great station to reach Portland, but we would have to get a whole lot closer to get line of sight on it. Satellites would be the best possible solution for bouncing our signals long distances.Yeah, keep dreaming, Sharon.

But that led me to a different thought. If we couldn't put stations in orbit, could we find ways to suspend them in the atmosphere? Some kind of small aircraft with station-keeping? Maybe balloons or dirigibles? That took me down a new path of research and discovery. Again, the tech was promising but undeveloped. Before the Berlin Accords, there had been a thriving industry devoted to very small rotor-driven aircraft with tiny computers. That industry had disappeared overnight when computing had been regulated and centralized.

I was startled by a tap on my shoulder. "Hmm?" I said, turning my head to look. Stansy was there, holding a plate of food. Stan and Stanford were gone, and the sun had gone down. I could faintly hear the two of them talking from the dining room down the hall.

Disapproval was written on the blonde's face. "Stan said you've been obsessing again. Did you even eat lunch?"

So that was where that growing discomfort in your belly is coming from. I thought wryly. "No, I guess I forgot," I said sheepishly, and took the offered plate. The food looked and smelled amazing. It had some kind of red and white layers and what looked to be melted cheese on too. "What is it?"

Stansy gave a shocked look. "You're telling me you've never had lasagna?"

The name was familiar at least. "Well, no, but I've heard of it. So this is pasta?"

Stansy scoffed. "Just try it already, will you? It's my dad's recipe, and that cheese cost us $40 a pound. It might be a long time before I get to make it again."

I cut into the cube-shaped food with a fork and chewed slowly. The combination of flavors was exquisite. Besides the toasted, melted cheese on top, there was some kind of creamy cheese, a sheet-like pasta, and tart tomato sauce. "That is really good," I said, and meant it.

"Well, it's missing sausage," Stansy complained, "but I think I captured the flavors pretty well otherwise. Grandpa and Gram used to actually raise pigs here."

"That must have taken a lot of grass to feed them," I remarked, savoring another delicious bite.

Stansy laughed. "You're probably thinking of cows. Sure, pigs will eat a wide variety of stuff, including grass, but we mostly gave them corn." Her expression grew thoughtful. "But you know, one thing we have an excess of is around here is scrub brush, especially down by the creek and in the surrounding farms. I wonder if Danny would mind if we brought in some goats to help control it. Then we'd have a source of milk. Maybe meat too, if we can start breeding them. Thanks for the idea."

I smirked and shook my head. "I'm glad I could be of assistance."

"Well, it'll give me something to do anyway," she said. "My area of expertise isn't exactly in high demand." She pulled over Stanford's chair from his terminal and sat down next to me. "I heard from Stan that you're engaged now. Congratulations."

I smiled. "I'm still getting used to the idea. I've no idea yet what we're going to do for our wedding."

Her eyes lit up. "If you need someone to plan it, I would be honored. I have been to a ton of weddings. Have you thought about where you might get a dress? Did you want to do a big ceremony or something more private? Are you going to get...."

I put up a hand. "Whoa, stop. Nock only proposed to me yesterday. As far as I know, he hasn't even started the planning. We don't even have a date."

"He's planning it, then?" She clucked her tongue. "Girl, no straight man on the planet understands these things like we girls do. I'll get with him tomorrow and make sure you get the wedding you deserve."

"Um, okay," I said, hoping that I hadn't just screwed things up. I hurriedly thought to change the subject. "Aren't you and Stan an item? Why aren't you two married?"

Stansy frowned and looked towards the hallway that led to the dining room. "An excellent question." She leaned in close. "And since I'm going to go all out on this wedding for you, I have a favor to ask in return."

"You want me to get Stan to propose," I said.

Stansy smiled broadly. "I knew you would understand! Just tell him that this wedding would be a great opportunity. Kill two birds and all that. Just don't tell him it was my idea."

I felt manipulated, but I couldn't really see a drawback in what she was proposing. A double wedding sounded like a great idea. "I guess I can do that." It wasn't like he couldn't just say "no" to the idea.

"Perfect! Make sure to tell me what he says."

I waited until the next day to bring it up, after I gave him my report on what we knew so far about optical wireless. I mentioned that I was hoping for a May wedding and then went for it. "When do you think you and Stansy might get married?"

His nonchalant shrug surprised me. "I don't see the point."

"It's kind of a big deal," I protested. "It's a commitment, a promise to be faithful and to support your spouse no matter what comes."

"Well, sure," he admitted. "I guess if you're worried about those things. I'm not."

His attitude stunned me into silence. I couldn't keep the heat from my tone when I finally replied. "Well, Stansy thinks it's important."

I immediately wished I could take the words back as understanding dawned in his eyes. "She put you up to this."

"No! Well, yes, I guess she might have said something...."

He shrugged again and now looked amused. "Okay, if that's what she wants. I'm assuming we'll do a double ceremony? That would be the most convenient."

The abrupt reversal was as strange as his earlier dismissal. "So you will?"

"Propose? Sure. I would do anything to make her happy. But could you do me a favor and not tell her? I would like to surprise her. I think I'll do it at the all-hands meeting tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

When Stansy came to find me later, I told her that I hadn't found a good opportunity to pose the question, which she accepted with a frown. I promised that I would try again.

I saw Nock the next day when he came by the west house. I knew what was coming when he took me aside. "Now what's this about Stansy planning our wedding?"

I sighed, feeling like I had let him down. "I'm so sorry, it just kind of happened."

His look of irritation softened. "Aha, so it's like that. Yeah, she can be a pushy little...." He stopped himself. "Anyway, I can deal with her. I understand she wants a double wedding, and I do think she knows what she's talking about, but I'll have to set some boundaries." He leaned down for a kiss. "Sorry if I got a little angry. Just make sure you run these things by me first, okay?"

I nodded mutely and pulled him down for another, more heated kiss. The warm tingling that this induced in my body reminded me of the other topic I'd been needing to broach, but looking into his faintly glinting eyes, I balked. It didn't seem like the right time to bring up another potentially upsetting topic. So I kissed him one more time.

"Alright, baby girl," he said with a laugh when I finally came up for air. "I have to get back in case Kelly contacts us. But I'll see you tonight."

The all-hands meeting was a once-monthly affair where each project team reported on their status. When the weather was nice, we would hold it outside. When it was cold or rainy, we all crowded into the living room of the big house. Everyone was included, even Alice and her kids, so half of us were left standing, even after spilling over into the dining room seating. Sasha, Tilly and Nissi waited just to one side, apparently first up to give their reports on their respective teams.

Norm always opened the meeting by summarizing what was going on in the world and how it impacted us. The main topic tonight was our growing influence with the Agency. Whatever leadership steered the secretive organization had come to realize how great of an asset we were in their efforts to protect and support the genemods under their care.

"Given the shift in focus from emigration to sheltering in place," he continued, "they are looking at ways of emulating what we've built here. I'm proud of what you've all accomplished, that we have become the model they wish to follow." He waited for the smattering of applause to die down. "Now, with that out of the way, I'm sure some of you have heard the news already, but I'll hand it over to Nock to make the official announcement."

Nock took center stage and made a come hither gesture to me. "Oh God," I breathed, as I went up in front of everyone. I really hoped that they weren't going to ask me to speak.

"Yeah, big secret," Nock said once I joined him, which was greeted by laughter from most of the audience. "I had Andy and Daniel both call today from Portland to congratulate me, then Mike from Seattle. But just in case you've been under a rock, yesterday I asked the most beautiful, kindest, smartest girl I know to marry me. And she said 'yes'."

I blushed as the room broke into cheers. I looked over at a shrill whistle to see Wendy blowing through her fingers. When I looked back, Nock was gazing at me with an adoring expression. "I love you," I said, and then melted when he pulled me in for a kiss that made the cheering and whistles go even louder.

After maybe a minute of that, I heard my brother's voice calling out for quiet. It took several seconds for things to settle down. "Sorry, folks, but we have another important announcement. Stansy? Yeah, I see you there in the back. Can you come up here, please?"

The crowd parted to let her through. Unbeknownst to her, Stan was following a few steps behind. When she reached Norm, he put out his hand and she took it in bewilderment. He leaned toward her as if whispering something, but his voice carried easily through the room. "Someone here has something they've been needing to ask you. Turn around."

She turned to see Stan there, and he immediately dropped to one knee. "Claudia," he said, taking her hand as Stansy put her other hand over her mouth. She looked like she was struggling to hold back tears. "We've had a crazy couple of years, and in that time, you've always stood with me and supported me. You've helped me to be more the man I am now than I could ever be alone." He paused for effect. "Will you marry me?"

The tears finally started and all she could do was nod her head vigorously.

"That might be the first time I've ever seen Stansy speechless," Norm quipped, to a few laughs.

"You're an asshole, Norm," Stansy finally croaked out as she embraced Stan, getting a roar of laughter from the crowd.

"I probably deserve that," Norm acknowledged, getting several answering cries of "yes, you do" from the crowd. "Seriously, though, I can't even tell you how happy I am for the four of you. Stay here for just another moment though."

He turned to the three women off to the side. I thought he was about to resume the meeting, but instead he approached and took a hand each from Nissi and Tilly. "You know," he said, speaking to the two of them, but loudly enough for all of us to hear, "not everyone gets to meet their soulmate, the love of their life. Fewer still do it twice." Tilly's eyes went wide and Nissi was shaking her head, looking on in utter disbelief. "It's even rarer that you find that kind of love, you do something stupid and lose it, but then you get a second chance."

"Dear God," Nock rumbled next to me. "That idiot's really going to do it."

Norm sank to one knee, still holding the hands of the two women. "I'll admit, I have no idea how this is supposed to work, but I'm going to ask anyway. Will you both marry me?"

Nissi turned accusingly to Tilly. "Did you know?"

A vigorous head shake. "Uh, uh."

"Come on, you had to know."

"Please say 'yes'," Norm said in a pleading, mock whisper, getting a roar of laughter.

Tilly and Nissi looked at him, then back at each other. "What do you think?" Nissi said.

Tilly didn't miss a beat. "Well, he was kind of mean to Stansy a minute ago."

"And he misses the toilet when he pees sometimes," Nissi added.

"And he picks his nose when he thinks no one's looking."

"Oh, God, please stop," Norm said, getting more titters from the onlookers.

Nissi wrinkled her nose. "And he does that thing...."

Tilly nodded knowingly. "Oh, yes. He thinks it's cute, but it's really kind of gross. I almost kicked him out of bed that one time."

Nissi shook her head. "Hmm, I just don't know."

"Yeah," Tilly mused, "that's a lot to get past."

"This is not how I pictured this moment," Norm said, hanging his head.

Tilly sighed. "It would be pretty sad to leave him like this, though."

"I mean, he is kind of nice sometimes," Nissi said.

"And he doesn't smell all that bad. Usually."

"I guess I could get over that thing he does."

"Right, with the fingers," Tilly crooked two of her fingers in an ambiguous demonstration.

"So should we?"

Tilly shrugged. "Huh. I guess so."

"I'm in if you are, babe."

Both women turned to regard Norm. "Yes!" They both shouted in unison, Tilly actually jumping up and down in excitement.

"Never mind," Norm said. "I take it back."

"Too late, you're really screwed now," Nissi said, yanking him back to his feet. By now the laughter drowned out anything else that they might have said, though there was a lot of kissing and hugging between the three of them.

"So a triple wedding, then," Nock remarked with a grin. "Ain't that a kick in the head?"