<USS Avalon> "My Heart Leads Me Astray" Pt. 3

From: "Brad Ruder" <GroundZero@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 21:31:17 -0800

?My Heart Leads Me Astray? ? Part Three
by Ensign Evan Benevente

Ockum III was just as she had described it to him. You could stand on the beach and look out upon the water and see nothing. The water was as blue as a Bolian, and it was just that that made it worth looking out at. Evan stood upon the promenade and gazed out into the abyss and waited for whatever was to come. The shuttlecraft was recovered and sent back to the USS Montana ? in several different pieces.

Michelle refused to let Evan see her, the ritual that many people tried to follow on Earth several centuries ago still seemed reside in the people of Ockum III. The bride and groom couldn?t see each other until the ceremony, and the ceremony was also one that was specifically related to ancient history Earth.

The clothing involved was different that the ancient suit and the long flowing dress. She wore a traditional shroud that had a veil, her belly button was exposed and she was barefoot. She looked good in the costume; of course, it would look better on Evan?s floor ? or so he surmised. She was the hottest person Evan had seen in his life. Her costume was elegant and really wasn?t cumbersome, no, just gorgeous.

Evan?s costume was also very light. He was suited in a silky sort of fabric that was made into pants. It felt cool against the skin, and he joined Michelle in barefoot bliss. Evan didn?t wear a shirt, but a festive and traditional headband. He didn?t mind the costume, but still he couldn?t think about anything but his parents.

The cliff was high and it overlooked a small settlement below, the view alone could take the breath straight from you. A voice behind Evan startled him, had Evan been standing any closer he?d have fallen off the cliff. ?You really should be with friends and family.? He turned around and Elijah was standing there. ?Dad isn?t mad at you.?

?Dad is poisoned, diseased, and takes it out on the rest of us.?

?Do you think that he has any choice, Evan?? Evan?s brother, in his infinite wisdom, always tried to downplay things and make them seem less severe than they actually were. ?He has problems, Evan, but we all have our skeletons in the closet.?

?Elijah, how many skeletons can there be before it becomes a matter of serious health or plain right and wrong? He didn't even give me his blessing, Michelle was upset and so was I. My father wouldn?t even accept that times change and that I wouldn?t be married like you and Ko.? He turned and walked down the path towards the villa in which he?d established temporary residence.

Elijah was on his heels. ?Evan, our father is an old man. He doesn't want to embrace the new and get rid of the old; a lot of people are like that. Obviously more than you can see.?

Evan cut him off angrily, ?Did you come here to insult me and tell me what I already know or did you come for the ceremony? Where?s Ko??

?Ko is with Michelle, and mom is coming tonight. She should be here for the ceremony.?

?Mom?s coming? How did she manage to get Dad to let her?? Evan asked surprisingly, stopping in the middle of the path.

Elijah laughed to himself and then put his arm around his brother?s shoulders and they walked towards the villa. ?Dad is old and his mind isn't the greatest, so she simply said that there was a nurse?s meeting on Vulcan. She fabricated something about new medicine and better techniques in aiding medical doctors. She emphasized that he could sit around and watch Hoverball all day and that was that.?

Evan was hit again with a pang of guilt and sorrow, ?I wish that he could be here. It would mean a lot to me, but with this ceremony I will have parents that care for me now.?

?Where are you and Michelle going for your honeymoon?? Elijah asked, cleverly changing the subject.

?We haven't decided. I?m just trying to make it through the wedding, let alone the honeymoon.? Evan said as he stepped up to the walkway of the quarters he was in living in. ?I?m still awaiting the posting assignment from Starfleet. As soon as that is set up I?ll have no problem thinking about me again.?

?Evan, Ko and I are here, and mom is going to come. Screw dad, he will be upset that he missed it, and it will blow over.?

?Eli, I know that. The problem is that I want it to blow over right now, not later, now.? He entered the residence and Elijah followed, ?I just don?t see why he wanted me to be married on Breyer?s ridge, it?s a stupid place anyway, no one in their right mind would want their marriage there.? He stumbled over his words, his brother had had his marriage there and Evan had insulted him. ?Elijah, I apologize, I just want dad to be here.?

?Get some sleep, I will see you tomorrow morning bright and early. Remember, tomorrow you will have a wife, no more gallivanting.?

Evan looked out the window, watching the blue ocean waves crashing on the shore. The mist rose over the ridge and into his makeshift cottage, the mist was as cool as the arctic and as warm as the tropics ? it was quite alluring. He looked up and saw that the first sun was in the sky. It was obvious because of the natural red haze that it was tainted with.

When this sun was in the air, it was daytime, and it was beginning to set. The second sun was rising over the horizon. Time was of the essence; Evan cuddled myself into his bunk and looked over at the nightstand. He saw Michelle?s picture and thought to himself:

Why do I deserve her? What do I have that she looks for? I mean I?m smart and have an awesome body, and I am so incredibly modest too. She is what I look for, and I am sure that many others do too, but what makes her choose me? Do I deserve her? Do I deserve her love? What makes me special or different than all the other people that would fawn over her at the moment?s notice? I got lucky this time.

He awoke as his brother stood over him; he looked deeply into Evan?s eyes. ?WAKE UP!? Evan immediately burst into consciousness. ?Good God, Eli, you want to give me a heart attack??

?A myocardial infarction? No. Thank goodness I figured you would resort to your gluttony ways on one of the most important days of your life, get up you bum.? His brother pulled back the sheets and held out the silk pants Evan was to wear, and the bandanna that accompanied it.

?Fine, I?ll get up, but because of Michelle. How did you get in??

Eli smirked, ?I beamed in; your quarters aren?t equipped with standard criminal transporter scramblers. They?re going to be installed next week, Michelle?s orders. She is a powerful woman.?

?In more ways than one!? Evan said as he shot his brother a wink and a smile. ?Would you hand me the paint??

The traditional ritual was to take three colors, out of eight, and paint symbols and markings on your counterpart?s body. This would show your devotion, and what you truly saw in your partner.

Red was for passion, in turn meaning that you see that person as passionate. Blue is for compassion, which means that the person who is receiving the color is a caring individual. Green is for adventurous, so you would see your partner as a daring person, or someone who takes life one step at a time, living for the moment. White was for purity, in that your partner had no inner demons and that they were comfortable with themselves. Black, which contradicts white, stands for some evil inside, or uneasiness. Orange was for a bizarre nature, such as a freak, or someone who stands out from the rest. Purple stands for difficult, which means that the person you love is argumentative and extremely stubborn, at times. Pink is for the exotic side of the individual.

?Which colors do you want to use? Lucky number three.?

?Science has disproved luck ? all things have odds, and the odds are just in favor or against.?

?Besides that, logic boy, what colors do you want?? Evan?s brother moved over to the container that contained the canisters of paint and shuffled through them, whistling a Vulcan funeral song, as was his custom.

Evan motioned to them from where he was standing, ?Red, white, and purple are the colors I want. Hopefully we are the same and she will choose the same colors. God I love her.?

?Passion, purity, and the occasional persistent stubbornness and hardheadedness. You two are going to make the best couple that I?ve ever seen. The best couple since K?Tol and P?Minn, the Vulcan physicists. You know, they were the most argumentative people in medical history.? His bother lobbed the canisters onto the bed and then pointed to the door.

?Eli, you forgot your outfit.?

Elijah looked down and then unzipped his boring Starfleet uniform, which revealed his bare chest, and the same silky pants that Evan wore, and his bandanna on his leg. He unwound it and put it around his forehead. ?Let?s go, I didn?t forget. In forty-five minutes you will be tied down like the rest of the universe.?

They walked down the path onto the cliff, where people had already begun to gather. Michelle?s family, consisting of her father, mother, two sisters, three bothers, and the grandparents sat on one side of the rows. Evan?s family, consisting of his sister-in-law, mother, and that was it. His father, still being as stubborn as usual, was not in attendance. Evan?s brother would stand up on the altar with me, and Michelle?s oldest sister would accompany her.

?Here we go,? Evan muttered as he walked down the row and up onto the steps, his bare feet sifting through the ivory sand on the cliff; the coldness was soothing at first and then into an unwanted nuisance.

The harpists played the matrimony song that was played for marriage ceremonies for as long as Evan could remember. Michelle emerged, followed by her sister Heather. They both walked down and the family members stood; I was just watching Michelle. Michelle walked and stood next to Evan, he took her hands and she took his, as was custom. They turned to the magistrate, which conducted all marriages on the colony of Ockum III.

?We are gathered here today, to celebrate the joining of this couple in marriage. They have trudged through hardships, and shared the celebration of victory, and now have decided that it is right to make the bonding official. We have circled here to show that we endorse their choices, and give them blessings of the warmest joy. Who is here to give away the bride?? Magistrate Icken Bar asked.

A gray male stood, and a frail lady stood up next to the man. ?I am Logan Alexander, and this is my wife, Patricia. We gladly offer our daughter into the Benevente.?

Icken Bar smiled and directed his eyes to Evan?s mother, ?And the groom??

His mother stood up, dutifully but sorrowfully, ?I am Elyse Benevente, and I gladly accept Michelle Alexander into the clan of Benevente.? She sat down, holding back a tear ? because of Evan?s father?s absence.

?From the sea?s coastline, to the ocean floor?s deepest crater, we all have someone or something to support us. From childhood our parents support us, and when we reach a certain age the support that they hold for us begins to dwindle. We go out in search of the loved one that can reset that support. We marry and the foundation is again laid for such a powerful support that will hold for all eternity. Evan and Michelle have seen this support and have set a foundation.? Icken Bar struggled around to hold the book, being some three thousand pages long.

?Evan, do you take Michelle to be your partner, in love, the world, and in life??

?I do, I always will.?

?Michelle, do you feel that Evan can support you and your needs and will hold onto you forever??

?Of course, I feel safe with him.?

?The groom may present his colors,? Icken Bar stepped back and the wooden planks that housed the three-color canisters were brought forth. Evan took his index finger and dipped it into the red coloring.

?Michelle, your fiery passion is something to be admired. Your passion in life is the greatest that I have observed, it has brought us good times and has even granted you the win in many arguments.? He smeared it across her forehead and down the ridge of her nose. ?With this stroke I show my appreciation and gratitude for that passion, for it makes you who you are.?

Michelle smirked.

Evan?s finger danced into the white and then traveled back to her face. ?Purity is what you show and what you are. You are always one with yourself, and when you aren?t, people know it. You can correct emotional responses that are unwanted and make them wanted, and you have the ability to make them useful. I show, with these circles, that your purity will run in you forever like a never-ending circle.?

?I am happy that you?ve joined my circle, Evan.?

?With his purple, I show your only weakness. Being so minute, that it is your Achilles? heel. You sometimes feel that you can stand up to anything, and sometimes won?t take no for an answer. You can sometimes let your mouth run away and you let your mind look ahead and ask the questions after the actions have ceased.? He outlined her lips, which symbolized that it was her mouth that forged these weaknesses. Evan stepped back and her canisters were brought forth.

?The bride may present her colors.?

Her hand lifted the lid and the color was blue, compassion. ?Evan, your ability to comfort and let people know that things are okay is outstanding. You have more emotion than I have ever seen; somehow you?re able to mask yourself from truly getting involved, but just enough is exposed to see and feel the issue at hand. You deserve this color among others to show that I am grateful that you are able to do so.?

Evan returned her smile.

?Purple is the color of stubbornness, which graces my lips as I speak these words. You have shown, as well, that you have the ability to argue with the best of them. I love this about you; it shows that you aren?t willing to die and let people trample you. You are the one that demands respect and has the ability to be in charge.?

?I now give my respect to you, Michelle.?

Her hand danced to the final color, which she exposed to be black. Evan thought to himself, what did I do to deserve this color? She spread it across his forehead and down his bare chest. ?I think of you as someone who struggles with things. Maybe family, professionally, or emotionally, one can never tell. The thing about you is that sometimes you confuse me, and you don?t allow me to read what you are going to do. At points, it creates a sense of fear because I can?t expect what type of mood you plan on being in, it tends to be evil. Nonetheless, it is a weakness and it has been shown to you.? Her hand got wiped off and her hand wrapped around my waist.

?Then by the powers that have been granted to me within the confines of Federation territory, I now grant you permission to be man and wife. Unless, of course, there are any objections??

The pause seemed to last forever, and then it came, ?WAIT!?

The entire crowd turned to see my father standing there, a bouquet of Brinari Orchids in his hand. He walked up to the altar and handed them to Michelle, she blushed and handed them to her mother. ?Son, I couldn?t let you do this without my blessing. I understand that we are changing as a family and as a universe. Things don?t always happen the way we want them to, and this was one of those times. I bless you, and Michelle, in whatever you choose to do or pursue.? Evan?s father sat next to Elyse, who in turn hugged him and began to cry.

Evan heard one whisper from his mother, ?I never get flowers??

?Well then, you may kiss the bride.?

Evan embraced Michelle and they shared a kiss, which was long and passionate. The audience stood and clapped. The wedding was over; they were one.

The honeymoon was cut short; so short that they hadn?t even had the chance to pack. The message came at midnight, which was odd for Starfleet. They had assigned Evan as an Assistant Chief Engineer aboard the USS Vesuvi, a Nebula-Class vessel that was testing new shields and engines that would take a research vessel inside a collapsed star. They wanted their best people, and Evan was the person who had ranked highest and had studied Advanced Warp Theory and Warp Mechanics.

He looked at Michelle, ?Honey, I promise I will return as soon as I can. I will write everyday, so expect letters from me. If I am lucky, I might make history, and I promise we will go someplace exotic for our honeymoon.?

?Vulcan?? Michelle laughed as she tapped his combadge for him. ?I love you, and I expect a letter for every day that you?re gone, you hear me Evan Benevente??

?Yes ma?am. Benevente to the Xavier, energize.? He dematerialized and watched his bride disappear. Evan?s next view was that of transporter room one of the Akira-class Xavier. Captain McGregor had been designated as his chauffeur to Deep Space 7. Evan got set up in his temporary quarters and they were afoot. Three quarters of the way there, Evan was called to the bridge. A weird, but welcome, experience for a transport passenger.

When he arrived on the bridge, Captain McGregor put his arm on his shoulders. ?Son, when you accept the Daystrom Prize in Astro-Engineering, acknowledge me. Without me, you wouldn?t have made it there anyway.? His voice trailed off.

?Captain, we are receiving a subspace distress signal. It?s Ockum III.? A nearby ensign tapped his console maliciously, ?Putting it on screen.?

Magistrate Icken Bar popped to the screen; ?This is the Federation Colony, Ockum III. An ambush of Cardassian ships has entered the system and is setting course for our colony. All of the off-world civilians are away and are being sent to the USS Dauntless. The vessel will then transport them to Deep Space 7. We have no ability to fight; our small space fleet has been deployed, but we aren?t sure how long they can hold the colony. We need emergency assistance, please respond!? His message disappeared.

?Sir, three ships have responded and are on their way, should we assist? Three Galaxy-class ships and three Intrepid-class vessels are en route.?

?Not the opportunity to save the day. Ensign Benevente, I cannot allow the Xavier to go to Ockum III, we aren?t prepared. We are the closest ship, but nonetheless, we are not able to defend. If you wish, I will allow you to take a shuttle and monitor the situation, but nothing more. The Xavier will monitor what is happening outside of the system, if you need help, contact us. Good luck, son.?

Evan bolted down the corridor and into the shuttle bay; he took a Class 9 Wasp Attack Shuttle. He wouldn?t just sit and watch Cardassians kill his wife?s home; Evan would fight. How long he could fight was not possible to determine, but he would fight.

<USS Avalon> "My Heart Leads Me Astray" Pt. 3

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