Spark the Runner Ch. 05

Whatever you did, you sure did it, Leeanni thought to the group. The Vegans are all kinds of churned up, figuring out how to get more 'trade time' with you three. In the meantime, please get up and get going. I'm supposed to have you at their quarters in about half a Solarian hour.

Yes, ma'am... Spark grumbled to her telepathically, as he rolled out of bed and followed Okami to the kitchen.

Gee, Tonya looked after them with a smile. I wonder what their problem is?...

* * * * *

"So we've been poked and prodded and sampled and, incidentally, fucked six ways from Sunday -- are you sure they're not Succubae? -- so now what?" Spark was exhausted and slumped in one of the overstuffed chairs in their quarters.

"Now, the Arcasians take about one Solar week to build the treatment," Tonya answered him. "Then you spend about one Solar week getting 'adjusted' -- mostly at a cellular level, I believe. Then you spend about one Solar week recuperating from being adjusted. After that, in theory, you and Okami should have a nominal lifespan of approximately two thousand Solar years, barring accidents or other massive physical trauma."

"Sounds like fun," Okami commented, then added, "yes, Lizzie... that was sarcasm."

"I think anything which extends our time together would be considered fun," Tonya told her.

"Lizzie, there are many things which can be advantageous to us in the end that I would not classify as 'fun'," Spark pointed out. "But it does give us a reasonable expectation of living as long as you do."

"Which time, of course, you get to spend with me. And no, they are not Succubae. They, like the other Crescian associates, are rather randy creatures and opportunists. They are, after all, salespeople."

"There is that," Spark admitted. "So what do you want to do for the next three weeks?"

"Plan the wedding."

"Plan the... wedding." Spark looked confused for a moment. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. I guess just standing up in front of the magistrate won't do, huh?"

"Are you kidding?" Okami broke in. "No way do I pass up a chance to set up this blow-out party! All you have to do, Jamie, is get the rings, rent a tux and show up. We've got everything else covered."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Spark told her. "Your maniacal glee looks dangerous."

"And you might want to think about a Best Man," Okami pointed out. "Or Best Creature. Or whatever."

"I'll ask the Professor," Spark decided. "It'll blow his cover of allegedly being dead, but maybe he'd do it for me."

"In which case, we should plan on returning to Mars as soon after you have recovered from your treatments as practical, husband," Tonya decided. "It will facilitate making arrangements."

"Agreed," Spark nodded.

"Agreed," Okami added.

* * * * *

"I believe I have lived long enough to not worry about the Bratva, or even Al'yans Krovi."

The Professor was having tea with Spark in the Crescian embassy quarters on Mars which the Solarian Trade Reps were using. Or rather, the Professor was having tea. Spark was having coffee... and a lot of it. "I would consider it an honor to be your Best Man. Has Lizzie picked a date? Or Okami, for that matter?" The Professor had adopted the use of the Mars identities while on Mars.

"Nothing firm," Spark told him. "They appear to have a complex set of arrangements to make. Way beyond my pay grade. I guess we're having both a human and a Crescian officiating at the ceremony. The priest or magistrate or whatever is there to make sure the wedding is legitimate, not just a renewal of non-existent vows. The Crescian is there to make sure all the extraterrestrials recognize and honor our marriage 'and any issue therefrom.' I guess having Trade Rep parents carries some kind of beneficial social status out there in the Universe."

"You have fallen down a very different rabbit hole, Jamie," the Professor observed. "You, and Lizzie, and Okami, have been adapting to completely foreign situations at light speed. I am not the only one who is very, very impressed. Do you have a guest list, yet?"

"Again, nothing firm. The Crescians will have their suggestions for the ET's. I think Lizzie's going to come to you for suggestions on the human side. All three of us have led very insular, solo lives. Not a lot of room for friendships. Oddly enough, we've become each other's best friends."

"Not odd at all, I think," the Professor mused. "Unlikely, given the circumstances which brought it about, but not odd. I will suggest a list of movers and shakers you will probably want to include. Many will be from our consortium. Unfortunately, certain of them will have ties back to the underworld. Lizzie may look radically different at this point, but you don't. I would suggest being prepared for 'being made' by hostile third parties."

"I know it's a possibility, Professor. In fact, it's almost a certainty. With the Crescians staging the ceremony, I don't see how we avoid inviting Governor Reynolds, which means some of his unsavory partners, which means Al'yans Krovi is going to hear about it. Whether they put two and two together remains to be seen. Although I'm betting they will."

"That is an excellent attitude to have, Jamie," the Professor agreed as he looked around. "They have made you quite comfortable here."

"Yes, sir, they have," Spark smiled. "It would appear my soon-to-be-wife-again has impressed the hell out of not only the Crescians, but five or six other extraterrestrial races as well. And we've only been at this a couple of months or so."

"Miraculous," the Professor agreed. "But then, miracles appear to be your stock-in-trade. Lizzie is pregnant."

"Yeah..." Spark exhaled slowly. "Definitely a miracle among miracles. Certainly not something I thought would ever happen to me. Or a partner of mine. But it is what it is and I'm pretty damned happy about it."

"As you should be," the Professor smiled. "I will get you that list. In the meantime, Erliss has promised to introduce me to Arliss, her sister -- who does not currently have a pod, as I understand it. That is an appointment I don't want to miss."

Spark grinned. The Prof was a lot of fun, now that he was getting laid on a regular basis.

"You know where you're going?" Spark asked, though it was probably pointless. The Professor had spent more time around the embassy than the triad had.

"Absolutely," the Professor smiled, standing up. "I will see myself out. And thank you for asking me. I really do consider it an honor to be your Best Man." With that, he picked up his cane and headed for the door while Spark slugged down the rest of his mug.

Gotta go get the rings, he thought. Then wait to be told when I need to rent a tux.

* * * * *

"Naked???"

Spark's jaw had hit the floor.

"Yes, husband-to-be-again," Tonya smiled at him. "It is the Crescian way. When they marry, or form a pod, the ceremony is performed with those being joined au natural... that is, naked. It is symbolic of nothing hidden, nothing unnatural between them... it is symbolic of the purity of the union."

"Will everyone else be naked, too?"

"Nope," Okami grinned. "Just you two. And me and the Professor if you want, since we're part of the party. Pretty sure the minister guy won't be, although the Crescian Facilitator may be. Not sure on that one. Saves on the dresses and the tux rental..."

In Spark's opinion, Okami seemed to be having too much fun with this.

"Yeah, you're used to standing around with nothing on but your fur," he told her. "I seem to have left mine at the cleaners."

"The Professor has given us his suggested guest list, and Okami and I have prepared and sent out the appropriate invitations, with a Réspondez S'il Vous Plaît request included. We expect to begin receiving responses today or tomorrow. The ceremony is scheduled for noon, two weeks from Sixday next, here at the embassy. We will have a reception following, with a meal and entertainment, as appears customary."

"Looks like the bride's side is going to be full," Spark commented. "With all the friends you've been making."

"It is true I have been forming relationships of various levels of intimacy since we embarked on this adventure," Tonya conceded. "But I do not believe the 'Bride's Side' will be overfull."

"Why is that?"

"Because there isn't one," Okami told him. "It's done in the round, amphitheater style. And the stage rotates, believe it or not."

"Oh, I believe it," Spark muttered. "It's gonna be a helluva show. Make sure I take my anti-nausea meds."

"I believe, Jamie, that if you stop fretting, you may actually enjoy yourself quite a bit," Tonya softly chided him. "At minimum, watching the interactions between the Solarians and the extraterrestrials will be entertaining."

Spark had to smile at that one. He could just imagine the reception some of the Trade Reps would get... especially the Arcasians, if any showed up. Spending a week under the care of those Succubae had been an experience he would never forget. In theory, he now had a life expectancy of a couple of thousand Solarian years. They didn't mention that he'd be spending it three or four times as horny as usual.

"Okay, I give..." he caved. "Just tell me what I'm supposed to do and when. I'll do my part."

"That is one of the things I love so much about you, Jamie," Tonya told him seriously. "You have always sacrificed yourself for my best interests and asked nothing in return. That kind of loyalty cannot be purchased. And you look out for Okami the same way. We truly are a symbiote."

"It is purely selfish, believe me," he told her. "You are the most amazing person I have ever met, and the fact that you have grown to love me, despite my shortcomings, is astounding. You are literally, to me, a goddess and I stand in awe of you."

Tonya started to object, then thought better of it. They'd had this argument, or discussion, many times before. She did not like him putting her up on a deific pedestal, nor putting himself down. And yet he refused to accept her as just another person. He kept referring to her as the Perfect Helena, and praising her far beyond what she thought was appropriate.

Instead, she decided to change the subject.

"I must meet with the caterers," she told him. "I will be taking Okami and Erliss with me. Feel free to catch some sleep, or whatever you would like to do, husband. We will attend to our relative randiness upon our return."

Spark smiled and shook his head as Tonya and Okami gathered their things and headed out to meet Erliss. Pregnant Tonya was becoming insatiable. Based on how much fucking had been going on, getting some sleep sounded like a great idea.

* * * * *

Spark and Tonya stood next to each other, flanked by Okami next to Tonya and Professor Lenox next to Spark, on a platform which was slowly ascending through a trapdoor in the stage. All were au natural.

The lights were a little bright and took some getting used to, as did the fact that the stage was slowly rotating, giving all of the two hundred or so guests an equal view.

Spark had been floored when he found out who was attending.

He had expected his Crescian friends, from Erliss and her pod to the Ambassadors, their daughter Leeanni and some of the embassy personnel. He had not expected King Gimloff and Queen Ibsonna, along with some of their courtiers, to show up. He had expected some of the extraterrestrials to make it -- most likely the Sirians, Denebites and Regulans, since they would be most comfortable on Mars. He had not expected the Vegans, Antarians, Callistians and Arcasians. For the Antarians and Arcasians, it was their first exposure to Solarian culture beyond their experiences with the Triad.

The human guest list was just as impressive.

Governor Reynolds was there, along with his current mistress, Ms. du Mont. Hovering around in his orbit were several of the Martian Senators and their spouses or consorts. Some of the Tribune Council were in attendance, too, along with various high ranking Martian business personnel. And some of those "business personnel" were Al'yans Krovi connected. The group from Earth was equally as impressive.

There were many executive personnel from the First Crescian Consortium and Bank, Earth Division. That included Patrick McLean, Chief Executive Officer and President, Miriam Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer, Donald Moore, Chief Operating Officer, Ellen McGaw, CEO of the Board of Directors and Ravi Shirkar, Secretary of the Board. Plus a whole slew of others.

There were also a number of execs from the other primary Earth-based financial and industrial sectors, including several companies controlled or owned outright by Al'yans Krovi. Thinking about it, besides his triad and the Professor, there were only three humans present he could consider friends -- Clancy the Bartender, IDS Captain Ricardo Sperry and Magdelena Frost, his accountant. And of course, he'd had to invite Lewd Lou, plus Vito and Nick, and some of the other staff from the Stargazer Saloon. Otherwise, everybody else was out here because the wedding was important to the Crescians. And Crescian business was important to the Solarians.

Early on, Spark, Tonya and Okami had to come to terms with the high probability that Tonya would be "made" at the wedding by those still seeking their fifty billion credit investment. They wouldn't be able to do anything overtly at the ceremony, but it was almost certain they would try to reacquire her sometime afterwards. The three had discussed several options for a response, but nothing was perfect. Instead, since the already-pregnant Tonya considered the wedding to be very important, they decided to let it go until after the reception and just deal with whatever happened. Spark was determined not to let anything ruin Tonya's big day. Okami was similarly determined.

The rising platform finally stopped its upward motion and Spark and Tonya, with the Professor and Okami, faced the Minister Guy (as Okami called him) and the Crescian Facilitator.

"Dearly Beloved," the Minister Guy started with those time-honored words used at weddings and funerals, "we are gathered here today..."

Spark zoned out. It didn't matter what verbiage got used. The only thing that mattered was when he and Tonya pledged their lives to each other. They were both in deadly earnest about that part. The rings were an ancient symbol of that pact... enhanced by some of the Professor's cleverness.

Turns out the Prof had a way to take a DNA signature and derive a meta signature from it. Then program it into the rings. They'd act like a Distant Early Warning System so Spark and Tonya (and they had one for Okami and the Prof) would be alerted if any of the "bad guys" -- or anyone set for an alert -- got within a predetermined distance.

Various law enforcement agencies had been bribed into... make that, were cooperating in... accumulating DNA signatures for the known Al'yans Krovi hit squads -- aka reacquisition teams. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would give the triad a chance.

The Minister Guy got to the vows and rings part and Spark tuned back in. The Professor handed him his ring for Tonya and he recited the pledge he had chosen. "Elizabeth, I give you this ring as a sign of my love, which has no beginning and has no end, and with all that I have, I honor you and take you for my wife."

Okami handed Tonya her ring for Spark and she recited the pledge she had chosen. "Jamie, I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love, honor, and cherish you, in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows."

Everything else was blah-blah-blah until the Minister Guy declared them husband and wife. Then the Crescian Facilitator took over. His message was much more direct.

The joining of Jamie and Elizabeth is a wonderful and blessed event, he addressed the crowd. Those of us who have come to know them cannot but marvel at the joy they bring to others, no matter if intimate friends or simple business acquaintances. As they travel amongst us, we can look forward to many years of pleasure and profit... the Solarians have now truly joined our Greater Circle and we are all the richer for it.

And as great crops are grown from small seeds, we expect that the issue of Jamie and Elizabeth will grow to be great among us. May Good Fortune lead their way and Happiness surround them.

The entire audience rose to its feet -- or the functional equivalent -- and cheered the newlywed couple as they shared the traditional kiss, then remained standing while the Minister Guy and Facilitator gave their final blessings. Then the platform began to descend, just as it had risen, and shortly thereafter Spark and Tonya were getting dressed in somewhat formal clothes, prior to joining the reception.

"We did it, wife," Spark grinned.

"We certainly did, husband," she smiled back.

"Yeah, you guys really did it, alright," Okami commented as she waited for them. "You're gonna be a tough act to follow."

"Oh, I don't know..." the Professor chimed in with a straight face. "Getting married is easy... staying married is the hard part. And staying alive."

"Do you think they'll at least have the decency to wait until after the reception?" Spark asked, slipping a body pistol into its holster in the small of his back, under the tux.

"It is most likely they will wait," Tonya answered, slipping a thin stiletto into the sleeve of the dress she was almost wearing, although Spark knew it was more for show. She damned well didn't need anything but her mind. "There would be too many witnesses at the reception, I believe."

"Well, like it or not, I'm sticking close by you two until we're safely back in our quarters," Okami told them. "Embassy or not, never underestimate human stupidity."

"Amen," the Professor chuckled. "Let us just enjoy the rest of the day."

That sounded like an excellent idea, and the four of them left the changing area to be immediately met by Leeanni and four burly Crescian guards.

Their Majesties send their compliments, Leeanni thought to them, and these four hunks. The rumor's out that there might be some unsavory types around who wish you ill.

Tonya left Spark's side and walked up to Leeanni, arms out for a hug. Leeanni was no stranger to how good Tonya's hugs felt and reciprocated, opening her four arms as well. As they slipped into the intimate embrace, Tonya let loose some of the Crescian libido stimulus and Leeanni found herself holding on while she rode out the orgasm.

Ooohhh, that is sooo gooood... Leeanni moaned as she got herself back under control. Hell of a way to 'kiss the bride'... or whatever it was Okami called it. Oh, yeah. There may also be a number of Solarian xenophobes about, also, and we're supposed to keep you from getting embroiled in any ruckae. Or whatever the plural of ruckus is.

Spark had to chuckle. Leeanni was picking up a lot of Solarian slang, and bad habits, just hanging around Okami.

Then, dear friend, Tonya thought to Leeanni, let us go find out what the situation is.

Well, the bar's been open for half an hour or so, Spark thought to them. The crowd is probably well lubricated by now.

That should make conversation particularly interesting, Tonya commented as she rejoined Spark and the entire group headed for the reception area.

* * * * *

The reception started out in a mostly traditional manner, or as traditional as Okami could arrange it, given she was dealing with a number of extraterrestrials. The "open bar" was color-coded for the various races and it was obvious there were three types of Solarians present -- the ones fascinated by the ET's; the ones afraid of the ET's; and the ones that were clueless. As a result, there were clusters of Solarians, clusters of Trade Reps, and clusters of mixed Solarians and ET's.