Posted by Captain Dante Knight (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Quarters - Natasha and Dante’s wedding

Posted by Lieutenant Natasha Knight (Doctor) in Captain’s Quarters - Natasha and Dante’s wedding

Posted by Captain Dante Knight (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Quarters - Natasha and Dante’s wedding
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Natasha stood in the mirror adjusting the veil for the tenth time. The material was so sheer it looked almost transparent. It had been a gift from Dante’s mother and grandmother. The first time it had been on her head, Dante had been pulled away on an emergency. The second attempt it had never left the box because she had needed emergency surgery and missed the wedding. Now it was three times a charm and she was dressed looking at herself in the mirror imagining her perfect day.

The three times a charm joke had been used early on in their relationship. Everything for them that was good seemed only to come on the third try. Their first two dates had ended in disaster with Dante’s ex-girlfriend, Ashley Madison, showing up in one and Daye breaking her leg on a hike to Mt. Etna on their second date. Then came the ship’s debacle with them serving on the cadet cruise together followed by the USS Shangra La. This would have been perfect for the three times a charm with both of them spending time on the Outpost yet they missed each other’s posting rotation. It took another fifteen years for them to find the third charm of Dante getting the Saracen. The list could go on and on but three was always their perfect number. Three meant everything was going to be okay.

Now Natasha stood in what would be her and Dante’s bedroom for the third time dressed and ready to be his bride.

“Dante,” Natasha yelled looking at the door to their bedroom. She knew he was busy in the other room getting the last things ready for their trip. She was in charge of the clothes, he was in charge of actually leaving the ship. Shore leave for a month involved a lot more than just having someone sign off on the paperwork. Plus the last time she checked he was on with Kelly and when those two got on a comm call they were like an old married couple or two old men playing chess in the park. “Dante I need to talk to you,” she said arranging the veil so that it was laying perfectly on her head.

Lt. Natasha Daye medical

“She’s calling, Kelz. I had better go and see what she needs. Knowing her she’s been sitting down and is trying to walk like a crab to get up again like some deranged chucky doll. Like you did when Bruce was little and wanted to ride everywhere.” Dante grinned as he spoke into the comm.

“Hey, I was only possessed that one night on Mintara Prime when you were like ‘god this pizza is freakin’ amazing Kelz. I mean these mushrooms and peppers taste like nuttin’ I have ever eaten’,” she let her voice drop to a deep baritone. It really had no resemblance to him except for his word choice and inflections but they had served together long enough to know how to do bad imitations of each other. “God I have no idea how we did not end up needing a new liver the next morning,” she shook her head not really caring about Natasha’s needs. Her friend would be fine. They were just packing. It wasn’t like it was her wedding day. “It was that shore leave on Mintara Prime when we stopped by to hang out with that guy you knew Matt, Mark, Milo” she let her voice trail off trying to think of the guy’s name.

“How is he anyway,” Kelly leaned back in her seat on the Atlantis taking a sip of her coffee.

“Anytime this week would be fine,” Natasha sighed turning sideways in the mirror. The reflection of her was not exactly any better in her opinion if the view was straight on or a profile.

“It’s going to be great to see you again, but just remember, any vessel approaching Gamma Tiltium is to be stopped and subjected to a full Federation mandated boarding party search looking for illicit substances. Third time, Kelz, Third time. I’m not leaving anything to chance.” The idea of putting up a blockade on the remote planet had been Dante’s crazy idea, but as his friend and old XO, Kelly had only been too keen to oblige and add her own touch to the plan to make sure the wedding went ahead.

“Oh speaking of that. Don’t worry. I have eeeeevrything planned out to a T,” she said excitedly leaning forward in her seat to grab a Padd. “I think you are gonna love,”

“Seriously Knight. You know what,” she said taking the veil off her head. “I can do this on my own. It’s not like I haven’t done this stuff twice before without your help,” Natasha’s voice was taking an annoyed turn.

“Seriously Dante what is she complaining about,” Kelly stopped and looked at Knight. “Go put a PaDD by the door and let me talk to her,” Kelly said in a helpful tone. “Nat,” she called out as if she was in the room.

“It’s been great, let me call you when we get there, we’re taking the Geralt this time, it’s always been my lucky shuttle.”

“Way way wait,” Kelly called out just as the screen went black.

Dante grinned and switch off the comm after a final wave between the two, then turned to pick up his PaDD as he stood. “Yes baby?” He called out as he flicked to some pages he needed to sign for various authorizations, then saw one that he needed to pay particular attention to and make sure Nat did not when he got her to sign it as well. “I’ll be right there,” he called out, turning and walking to the door to their quarters.

“Hey is that Kelly,” Natasha called out hearing her long-time friend’s voice from the other room. Moving across the room holding up the hem of her dress she moved to the bedroom door.

Thwack. Dante bounced off the door which failed to open for him, him not noticing as he was reading the various contracts and details for their upcoming wedding. Holding his nose, he looked at the door and pressed the control. It was locked. “Nat?” He called out again, slightly nasally as he held his bruised nose. “Honey the doors locked.”

Captain Knight, CO

“I know. It’s because I am not marrying you,” Natasha said moving from the door to the bed. Sitting down she spread the dress out smoothing all the wrinkles out. The dress was beautiful. She had loved it since the first time she put it on her body. She loved it right now. She loved Dante. She just couldn’t get married.

Lt. Natasha Daye medical

Dante stopped for a moment and looked at the door, almost through the door as if he could see her. Dropping his hand from his nose he turned, leaned on the doorframe and tucked the PaDD under his armpit as he folded his arms.

He took a large breathe and waited the required amount of time so that his answer would appear shocked like her statement was unexpected. “Okay and why not, Tasia? Why can you not marry me? Are you protesting the reduced coffee ration, was I snoring too much last night? I chewed loudly, didn’t I?”

Captain Knight, CO

Bruce sat down and for once let out a huge groan staring at Dante. God Dad I am with you. Mom is a flaky as that Napolyeon Tort thing she makes. When is she going to lay that egg and not be so crazy? Between the crying and laughing and the snoring. Dad, you are not the freight train Mom is, Bruce thought as he looked at Dante. I mean last night she woke me up and you know I can sleep through anything now that you moved my cage from your bedroom to the living room but the Cossack Express wakes up anyone on the deck above and below us. It’s not you. It’s her. It is all her, Bruce laid his had on the ground and wagged his tail as if in full support of Team Dante on this. Mom was always right but this time....Dad needed support.

Dante looked down at Bruce as he waited, the Lizards beady yellow eyes staring back at him with an uncanny intelligence. “Just don’t mention hows big she’s got,” he whispered to Bruce conspiratorially, “dodge and deflect.”

“Dante I am a whale. I look like a beached whale and how appropriate will that analogy be because we are having it on a beach,” she said not crying or mad but with pure frustration.

“Oh darn it,” Dante said, laying his head back against the frame and looking at Bruce. “There you go, look what you did.”

“Why bother with wedding favors that are seashells and bottles of vodka. Heck, I should stick with the real theme and instead of rice they can toss little plastic harpoons at me. You know the ones I am talking about right? Those toothpick things that hold sandwiches together,” she said twisting slightly on the bed to still look at herself in the mirror. No matter what angle she saw, she was just plain gigantic.

“The harpoon idea would be easier and take less replicator credits.” Dante ran through the numbers on the PaDD while she spoke, muttering to himself.

“Baby we need to get a million of them so we can pass them out to the guests. That way when I come up the aisle they can congratulate Moby Daye,” she flopped back on the bed disgusted with herself.

He snorted, and clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound. “That one was actually pretty good. Moby Daye, I have to remember that after cheeseburgers and fries.”

“Fifteen years Dante. Fifteen and you have to pick now to knock me up,” she moaned and then attempted to sit up.

“Well I didn’t hear you complaining at all at the time,” he muttered, mouthing her words back silently, “I’m pretty sure all you really said was ‘don’t stop’ actually.” He looked back at the door as Nat fell silent. “Baby, are you still talking to me? I’m here honey, just open the door.”

“And I can’t get up,” she grunted trying in vain to do a sit up to right herself. “Again I am stuck like one of those weeble wobble toys. Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. They lie Dante. When a weeble wobble falls they just roll around until someone rights them. And that is why I am not marrying you in a month. Let’s move it to October. You like fall. Heck, you call me, pumpkin. Pumpkins can be the deh cor a shin,” she grunted rocking back and forth trying to get some momentum.

“I call you pumpkin because you are sweet and amazing baby,” he said through the door to their room, “not because your visage is a cannibalistic plant with glowing eyes and sharp teeth. We’re not moving it to October, I’m marrying you in two weeks Tasia, because I love you and want you to be my wife. Two weeks baby, I’m not changing it.”

“Call Kelly and tell her the colors are now orange and purple instead of blue and beige. You like or…gin and puh ple,” she grunted now rolling to her side.

Lt Natasha Knight. medical

“Beige?” Dante said, suddenly growing serious. “Beige? We’re not have beige. Since when is anything beige? Computer, override this door Authorization Dante Omega Ambrosia.”

The doors slid open, and he stepped through and looked at her lying on the bed. Here he paused, and raised an eyebrow at her. “Beige? No, Natasha. No beige.” Crossing his arms, he made no move to help her up. This stops now, we are getting married and there is no Beige.”

He stepped forward and took her hands, gently pulling her up towards him. “Thar she blows, thar she blows, a hump like a snow-hill, its Moby Daye!” He repeated the lines from the ancient tale gently, pulling her into him.

“You are lucky you are so cute and funny,” she said softly looking into his eyes. “God I love you,” Natasha forgot all the wedding drama for the moment and focused on the one thing that made sense in her life: Dante Knight. The man had stood beside her through heartbreak, happiness, fear, excitement, and just about anything the universe threw at them. He was her one constant in a world of uncertainty.

“Yes, Natasha, you are the size of a whale, but you’re my whale and in that beautiful huge belly is our baby, our family.” He entwined his fingers between hers, turned her around so her back was to him and slid their joined arms and hands around her, pressing his front into her back and holding her close. “You are more beautiful to me right at this moment than you have ever been Tasia, and all of our friends are going to see how much I love you, and how much you mean to me every second you walk down that aisle. You’re going to be my wife, and we are having our family. But no Beige.”

Captain Knight, CO

“All right but I swear if you let them play the jaws theme when I get near food I will shoot the musicians. The fact I am always ravenous does not need a theme song to punctuate my condition,” she teased him. It was then she slapped a hand over his eyes. “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,” she said over and over not moving.

“You did not see me in my dress did you,” she asked almost in a panic. Dante had years of experience knowing about her superstitions and since she was Russian it was like this facet of her personality was on overdrive. “You know if you say yes then I have to go get another one because it would be bad luck so be honest but know that I will allow my crazy to take over and force me to find a new one .” Dante and Natasha never lied to each other…when it was important but there were the times she knew he lied to further an agenda or ease her insanity. She prayed their all their years together, Dante would know which answer to give.

Lt. Natasha Daye soo to be Knight