A Promise Worth Keeping (Part 1)
Posted on Wed Aug 21st, 2024 @ 4:57am by Captain Taiga Aisaka & Major Chiyo Shimada & Lieutenant Tatsuo Shimada & Captain Elizabeth F. "Liz" Beurling & Lieutenant JG Dana Monroe & 1st Lieutenant Hann Rudd & Alice Shimada
1,094 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Starship Graveyard
Location: Holodeck One
USS Redemption Acting Captain's Log, Final Entry:
Crazy as it was, Captain Aisaka's plan actually worked, and after fourteen years of being stranded on that desolate planet, losing one third of our crew, including Captain Reizei and Commander K'rala, the crew of the Starship Redemption now find themselves heading back to Federation space, where we're likely to be scattered among the stars.
But before we are disbanded as a crew, when the Redemption left port for the last time, I made a promise to my beloved Chiyo-kichi, and now that our mission of escaping has been a success, I intend to be a man of my word, and keep that promise...
End log
Tatsuo stood outside the Tokyo's Holodeck One, dressed in his Sunday best. He had waited fourteen years for this moment, but it was still nerve-wracking all the same. As today, he was to marry the love of his live, and legitimize Chiyo's adopting of his family name.
Gathered within the holodeck were the Redemption's surviving crew as well as Chiyo's marines, and one thing weighing heavily on Tatsuo's mind was that both Reina and Liz were going to be there. The latter of whom was one of Chiyo's bridesmaids (thankfully not her maid of honor, as that role fell to his not-so-little girl) and was among the wedding party standing in the corridor awaiting the arrival of the officiant.
As Tatsuo waited, he was suddenly slapped on the back by a familiar Bajoran hand:
"Hey, you clean up rather nicely, Cap." Kisad commented.
"You too, Kisad." Tatsuo nodded. "Hey, thanks again for agreeing to be the best man."
"Anytime, Tiger." Kisad responded. "I'm humbled just to be considered."
Taiga arrived. She had gone 'all out' complete in her Starfleet Dress uniform. It had been altered slightly to accommodate her pregnancy, and she approached with a PADD in her hand. "Ah Mister Shimada," she said as she walked upto him a smile on her face. "You ready to make the most important set of promises in your life?"
"I've been ready since Captain Reizei recalled us." Tatsuo responded. "Chiyo's been through a lot to find me, and she's a promise worth keeping."
"Well then," Taiga said. "You better get inside. You don't want to be stood out in the corridor when it's time for her to walk down the aisle."
"After you." Tatsuo motioned towards the holodeck doors. "It is the officiant that leads the processional, is it not?"
The doors of the holodeck opened and Taiga turned and led them inside.
Mountain air met the wedding processional as they stepped onto the holodeck. Tatsuo and Chiyo had decided they wanted to hold their wedding in a simulation of Japan, as both of them called the Land of the Rising Sun their home. They had gone through many various Japanese programs, but they kept coming back to one in particular- and that was a simulation of Lake Haruna.
Neither of them had ever been to Gunma prefecture, but there was something beautiful and romantic about the location that both of them agreed was the perfect wedding venue- and if they were to have a second one for the Mabuchi and Shimada families, they most definitely would consider booking the real Lake Haruna.
As Taiga stepped through the entrance to the holodeck, music began to fill the air to signal the beginning of the wedding ceremony. Most of the guests were still seated at this point, as they weren't expected to stand until Chiyo made her grand appearance.
Inside the holodeck Dana stood amongst the other guests, she felt oddly out of place at such a ceremony, not ever having attended a wedding before. She stood quietly waiting for events to unfold.
Chiyo and Tatsuo had spent their last night as fiancée and fiancé together, rather than separating for the last night. It was a twofold thought process- one, they had already spent many, many nights apart in the fourteen years the Redemption was missing, and since they were already heading towards a new normal with sleeping together, they felt it was pointless to disrupt it for some stupid pre-wedding superstition. But second, as both Reina and Liz were still on board, if either of them found out that Tatsuo was going to be spending the night alone, who knows what they might have pulled.
Chiyo had let Tatsuo get ready and leave first, so it could at least appear as if they had pretended to follow tradition. Once Alice had suited up in her maid of honor dress, she had helped her mother put on her bridal gown. It was a process that both women had lost track of time over how long it took.
"And... There we go." Alice said as she helped Chiyo with the finishing touches. "What do you think?"
"Feels a bit cold in the stomach area." Chiyo responded. "Who knew an opening so small would let in such a draft?"
"You picked it." Alice reminded her. "But, at the same time... You do look quite beautiful."
"Awww, thank you." Chiyo cooed as she checked the chronometer on the bedroom wall. "Now, run along, sweetie! They're probably already filing in."
"Okay, see you there!" Alice said as she left the bedroom and the quarters overall shortly thereafter.
Chiyo took one last look at herself in the mirror. Many of the nightmares had depicted her as a faceless bride, but not today: Today, Chiyo had her full smiling face.
"Not this time..." Chiyo said to the faceless bride of her nightmares.
Alice made her way down to holodeck one in time to see the last last pair of her mother's bridesmaids filing in. Alice stood in the archway and watched them walk down the aisle, and when they reached the end and began to move to take their places at the altar, Alice began her walk. As she had been powerwalking to get to the holodeck, Alice had to remind herself to slow down and savor the walk. Because she likely wouldn't get the opportunity again until it was her own time. And Alice hoped that the groom today standing at the altar she approached would be the one to walk her down the aisle when that time came.
As Alice arrived at the altar, before taking her place, she stepped close to her father and the Captain to deliver a four word report on the status of the bride:
"She's on her way."
To be continued...
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