Hound Dog Down
Day 29 Mid-Day
G. Travis: A. Andrews: Private.
“Good Day Doctor Andrews, what can I do for you?” was Travis’s almost immediate reply.
“I have a favor I wish to ask from you Sir and please hear me out. JoAnn and I need a wedding performed and neither of us is particularly religious. Don’t get us wrong — we are Agnostic, not atheistic. We would just not feel comfortable going through any specific religious ceremony.
“As Liberty does not yet have a functioning government, we can not yet have a secular ceremony. So my question is, Sir, would the Captain of the Mayflower be willing to officiate at a Military wedding?”
A pause and then a chuckle came over the wristpad and Travis said, “Why Ash, I’d be honored to join the two of you together in matrimony. I must tell you that this would be a first for me but I suspect I can find the proper protocols in one of the manuals here on the ship. A few questions come to mind. First, where and when? I suppose it should be on the Mayflower itself where I have the authority. The Lounge makes a nice spot and there’s space for dancing and celebrating, afterwards. Glenda and Monroe could cook up a fine spread of food.
“Secondly, would you two want to write any part of your ceremony or would you like it by the book, so to speak?”
I looked at JoAnn and she just shrugged, “Let me address your second point first. I have an electronic copy of the U. S. Joint Services Chaplin Manual and JoAnn has the Australian Forces equivalent, we would like to keep it by the book and as non-sectarian as possible. We will send you both via e-mail and throw ourselves on your mercy.
“As to your first point, we expect it to be at least a week. There are people who have to have uniforms made and we are going to have more guests than I expected. I may not be the most popular guy on Alchibah but, it seems JoAnn may well be. The Lounge would be perfect and we will supply the raw food if Glenda and Monroe would be so kind as to do the prep.
“We are at least going to have to wait until the shuttles are all on line and we have more pilots than Bart, Andy and I.
“I’m not too nervous but, I’d rather be in a dogfight facing three.”
Travis laughed and said, “Ah, come on, Ash, folks have been hitching themselves to each other since mankind crawled out of caves. You’ll be fine.”
“Yeah Right, anyway Ashcroft Out.”
“OK sweetheart quietly tell the Guns to see Judy Davis and get uniforms made. Andy has already given her a design for the new uniforms. Oh and tell them it’s on my tab.
“Now, all I gotta do is figure out how to tell Mariana without the whole damn city hearing her laughing.”