The Callisto Gambit (55 page)

“You could maybe wear these?” she said, holding them out.

They were not just any boots. They were white patent-leather Gecko Docs.

“Good idea,” Molly said reluctantly. “You can’t trip in gecko grips. But will they fit?”

The ghost of a smile touched Petruzzelli’s mouth. “I think so. As I recall, Elfrida and I have the same size feet.”

Elfrida took the boots—still warm inside—and put them on. “You’re a rock star, Alicia,” she said, smiling.

★

The entire congregation fell silent as a third bridesmaid entered the church. The new bridesmaid wore a spacesuit, complete with bubble helmet, under her dress. She carried a bunch of daisies, just like Cydney and Miss Mercury 2291. Kiyoshi knew it was Jennifer Colden, wearing Molly’s dress. No one else knew the identity of the mysterious bridesmaid … or the mysterious groomsman, also in a spacesuit, who walked arm in arm with her. Their faceplates were tinted. People took it for some kind of artsy stunt. They would have freaked out if they guessed the pair were Martians, inside their dome. But what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Nanite-proof spacesuits worked both ways.

A four-year-old flower girl followed Colden and Kristiansen, enthusiastically scattering more daisy petals. This was Bette Vlajkovic-Gates, the adopted daughter of George Washington Wright of Mercury.

The ring-bearer was Junior Hasselblatter. Kiyoshi had known this would be a mistake. He gave thanks that at least Junior hadn’t ridden into the church on a goat.

Junior meekly walked up the aisle, without dropping the rings, farting on purpose, or even crossing his eyes. Kiyoshi was so astonished he almost forgot to move forward to take the rings.

Michael texted Kiyoshi:
“I bribed him with chocolate ice-cream.”

Then the bride entered on the arm of her father, Tomoki Goto. The music crescendoed. The whole congregation—having no experience of solemn religious ceremonies—spontaneously started to clap.

Even with smeared make-up, the hem of her dress unevenly splarted up, and white Gecko Docs on her feet, Elfrida Goto looked absolutely beautiful.

She walked to the front of the church, where Mendoza was waiting for her.

★

Kiyoshi danced with Molly at the reception.

Neither of them danced with anyone else.

The CEF had offered the wedding party the use of a mess hall, one of the few buildings on base that was not a former PLAN structure, but a plain old rigid hab. The music was provided by Brainrape, who toned down their style for the occasion, and even played some slow songs.

The CEF culinary services specialists had gotten into the spirit of the thing and laid on a full-service wet bar. They’d also programmed a romantic theme of Hawaiian beaches into the smart wallpaper. Kiyoshi and Molly, being spaceborn, found the backdrop of rolling waves discomfiting. But it was easy for them to ignore it, as they only had eyes for each other.

“Will you marry me?” Kiyoshi said.

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Only about six glasses of wine.”

“You can’t just trade one addiction for another, you know.”

“It’s a freaking wedding; I’m allowed to have a few drinks.”

“I’m not marrying a junkie.”

“I’m not marrying a drug dealer.”

“I changed my entire life for you.”

“I changed my entire life for
you.”

“Bullshit,” Molly said. “You changed your entire life because the SSSA pointed a gun at your head.”

“At
your
head,” Kiyoshi snapped. “And everyone else’s. But why do you think that means I don’t love you?”

Molly folded her lips into a tight line. She looked like she might cry.

Jun coughed discreetly in Kiyoshi’s ear. “I hate to interrupt, but she hasn’t actually said no. Don’t mess this up.”

Kiyoshi sighed. He swung Molly around, let her spin away and then pulled her back. “Can I start again?”

She shrugged silently.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes, dummy,” she said. “Of course yes.”

This is the end of the Sol System Renegades series.

It’s been a wild ride, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me!

Some of the characters from the series will return in a new four-book series,
Ring Around The Sun.
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