(JP) Robin Hopper, Nathan Richards, Wil Ukinix – What We’ve All Been Waiting For… (Part 1)
Robin Hopper (NEW)
((Wedding Venue, Mackinac Biome – Peace Park))
The air inside Amity’s Peace Park carried a gently soothing warmth, artificial sunlight down from the domed sky above and filtering through the softly-rustling leaves of the Mackinac’s tall aspens. The afternoon light cast the scenery in a golden, almost eternal, glow – the lake glinting in ripples of amber and pale cerulean, a few loose leaves and petals gliding across its surface.
At the heart of the clearing, a circular arch of willow branches had been wrought, finely interwoven with sprays of hydrangea, wild aster, and marigold – their colours reflecting the merging of the bride and groom’s passions for science and engineering. A simple woven runner stretched down the aisle, laid over the grass and anchored neatly in place, leading toward the arch where the ceremony would soon begin.
Guests were still arriving, finding seats and exchanging pleasant afternoon greetings. Starfleet dress whites mingled easily with formal suits and gowns as people moved and settled, their voices blending in a calm, steady hum. From somewhere nearby, Bec Iko’s viola played a gentle background melody – nothing too showy, just enough to fill the quiet moments during lulls in the conversation. Near the front, Commander Wil Ukinix stood in his dress uniform, quietly going over his lines while Keehani offered a few last words of advice at his side.
Beyond them, the wooden boardwalk traced a broad curve along the lake’s edge. Its polished surface caught the light as it disappeared around a bend, toward the adjoining biomes where, out of sight, the bride and groom were each getting ready for their big moment, no doubt feeling the flutter of nerves that came with it.
And all of this served as a reminder to those skeptics and realists that even here, in the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant, people could still find each other, could still fall in love, and choose to forge a new path together.
((Community Services Building, Cherry Blossoms Biome – Peace Park))
Robin chewed the inside of her cheek – a very un-poised and un-composed expression of the nerves she was feeling as she eyed her own reflection. The woman in the mirror, staring back at her, with her jeweled circlet and her ethereal a-line moonlight-toned dress, looked like someone else to her. But as the reflection’s chest rose and fell with her own breaths, there was no denying that somehow, bewilderingly, Robin Hopper had found her way to this moment.
Hopper: Hoooly buckets… This is really happening isn’t it? ::Shaking her hands slightly, at her sides:: This is crazy. Is this crazy? Maybe I’m just crazy.
Kerilyn: ::Shrugs:: I’ve been telling you for years.
Her at times antagonistic sister let out a little snort of chuckle.
Hopper: ::Nervously chuckling along:: You are not the right person to assess my sanity… I just never thought – you know how I used to feel about this sort of thing. I still don’t fully understand what changed.
She turned, ensuring the straps of her dress were properly situated, and that everything needing to be contained or concealed was properly hidden away. She couldn’t help herself but smile at the slight swish of the pleated skirt that followed her movements, just a half-second behind thanks to the conservation of momentum. oO Maybe the conservation of momentum is what got me here… Oo she mused.
Keri put her hands on her hips, and put her tongue just under the left side of her bottom lip, almost literally biting it-- while figuratively doing so. Today wasn’t the day for paper-cut wise-cracks that would ultimately trigger her sister.
Leave that for when it *wasn’t* her wedding day.
Hopper: I never used to understand why women saved their wedding dresses. It always seemed a little desperately sentimental – but now… ::Swishing the other way:: Now I think I get it.
Kerilyn: To shove into a replicator to recycle when they divorce?
She held up her palms in immediate surrender.
Kerilyn: I’m kidding, I’m kidding sis. ::Big inhale, sighs through her nose and chest drops:: You look amazing. And it would be a shame to discard that dress.
Hopper: I think mama might want to take it home with her and get it framed, like some sort of sports jersey… ::Wry smile:: I don’t think she thought this day would ever come either.
Robin stopped ogling herself in the mirror and turned to her sister, hands on hips.
Kerilyn: ::slight eyeroll: Alright, I’m proud of you. And Nathan is a good guy. ::slight playful smirk:: I mean, he picked the wrong sister, but--
Hopper: I swear, Keri–
Kerilyn: Just promise me you’ll do the same for me when I get married one day, Kino.
Robin sighed, a bit relieved and a bit exhausted. She’d barely slept the previous night (how was one supposed to sleep when there was a reception playlist still to finalize, vows to recite a million times, and armpits to will into not sweating for the next 48 hours?) Doing her best to look more bridely than bedraggled, Robin took a few steps forward and placed both hands on her sister’s shoulders.
Hopper: I will be there with bells on, baby Zoi… and we’ll have already gone through this process once and maybe have some idea what to expect… But I know some day you’ll find a really great guy who’ll be just perfect.
Kerilyn: Oh c’mon Kino, you’re a scientist. It’s been proven they don’t exist. I’d just have to find one that’s… acceptable.
Hopper: ::Smirking:: He’d have to be practically a saint to put up with you.
Kerilyn: ::lifting finger:: As if *I* would marry a saint, of all people.
A little alarm sounded on a nearby PADD. Keri couldn’t help but smile at her sister (as much as it pained her deep down somewhere).
Kerilyn: It’s time.
Hopper: Okay. Dress is in place. Check. Corsage is attached. Check. Bouquet is right over… ::stretching, grabbing it from the table:: …here. Check. Makeup is on… Am I forgetting anything?
Her sister handed Robin the small PADD that contained Robin’s pre-written vows.
Kerilyn: Yes. How awesome your sister is.
((Betazed Gardens, Subtropical Biome – Peace Park))
The trees and leaves softly swayed in the simulated breeze that crossed through the gardens of Peace Park. Nathan stood at the edge of the lake that sat at the center, watching the gentle ripples of the water while his hands idly fiddled with the golden delta cufflinks of his tuxedo. He was really about to marry Robin Hopper. The woman who, just a couple of years before, had found him in the lower shuttle bay covered in grease, wearing a stained tank top that met an unfortunate end thanks to a loose piece of metal underneath the Targhee. If he had a strip of latinum for every time his first meeting with someone ended up with his shirt coming off…he would honestly be a fairly rich man. It was never on purpose, but it seemed to happen an awful lot throughout his life.
The sound of footsteps in the grass behind him drew him from his wandering thoughts, pulling his eyes towards the approaching person.
Blake: They said it couldn’t be done – but here’s the proof. Nathan Richards can, in fact, clean up pretty nice…
Blake, in repetition of the little ritual the two brothers had undertaken before his own nuptials, only a little over a year ago now, carried two (appropriately small) glasses of scotch with him.
Blake: You’re standing and looking at the water. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Richards: Oh, you know. Just thinking…staring….staring and thinking. ::Deep breath:: This is happening, isn’t it?
Nathan turned to face his brother, looking him up and down. Dressed to the nines as his best man, he looked almost as good as he had at his own wedding.
The longer-haired, better-dressed, man passed his brother a glass.
Blake: If you’re nervous, this takes the edge off. I speak from experience in this matter.
Richards: Nervous? Me? ::Soft chuckle:: Yes. I’m very nervous.
Nathan’s brother smiled, a grin that seemed to somehow blend sincerity and affection with sarcasm and tomfoolery.
Blake: Well, of course you are. That’s nature’s way of reminding you that you’re doing something insane. But then, when have you ever let that stop you before? You fought a bear, and it nearly killed you. You joined Starfleet – that nearly killed you too.
Richards: I grew up with you. ::Raising his glass:: Nearly killed me too.
Taking a small sip from the glass of scotch, Nathan welcomed the burn as it went down his throat. It let him know he wasn’t dreaming.
Blake: Can’t blame a guy for trying. ::Rolling his eyes:: What I’m actually saying is… you’ll probably survive this one too. Even if she does lay her eggs in you. Heck, maybe if you birth some more grandkids, mom’ll finally lay off me and Mike. Now stop worrying and finish that whiskey before a fly lands in it or something.
Blake held up his own glass in a small cheers-ing gesture.
Blake: I’ll save the speech for the reception, but for now I’ll just say, I’m proud of you, bro.
A small chuckle escaped Nathan as he took another sip from his glass. Now he felt a little more nervous about what Blake was going to say during the reception than the actual getting married part.
Richards: You sure know how to make worries go away…and new ones take their place, you know that?
Taking a deep breath, Nathan looked back out over the lake. He really couldn’t imagine a better place to have the wedding. Other than maybe back on Earth. But it was pretty neck and neck as far as that was really concerned.
Richards: Thanks. For being here. For doing this.
Blake: I never say no to a destination wedding. But if you ever, I dunno, move to Denobula and get married a few more times, maybe I’ll spring for first class tickets. My butt’s still sore from that 6-week cruise.
Downing the last of the scotch in a quick tip of his glass, Nathan let out a sharp breath as the burn once again returned. Blake followed suit, shooting the rest of his scotch and briefly mimicking a horse with his lips.
Richards: ::Hoarsly:: Smooth.
Blake: ::Hoarsly:: Yeah… Now let’s go get you hitched.
((Wedding Venue, Mackinac Biome – Peace Park))
The Mackinac Biome was somewhere Wil had, admittedly, not spent a lot of time, favouring the Blue Gums biome to remind him of home. But the wedding venue, with everyone attending dressed to the nines, somehow made the trees and the greenery of the biome look better.
There was a relaxed smile from Wil, as he, for once, leaned into his Betazoid senses and felt the calm, relaxed anticipation of what they were about to witness. His good mate Nathan, and his other good mate and First Officer, Robin, about to get married.
How time flew.
He was nervous about officiating his first ever wedding though. That side of Starfleet wasn’t in the academy courses, nor was there a “how-to” guide in the Amity manual (there probably was in the Starfleet database, but he couldn’t be stuffed– he’d wing it with the basics).
His little moment of zen when he *should* have been nervous was “rightfully” overtaken by his being nervous again. He really didn’t want to bugger up their good day.
Ukinix: Bloody hell, I hope I get this right.
Blake: Don’t worry, Commander Handsome. I did my part… Nathan knows his cues. ::To Keri:: Your sister still hasn’t realized what a mistake she’s making, right?
Kerilyn: I tried to tell her, but then again I tried to tell her about a million things and she doesn’t listen… ::eyes towards Wil:: Is there still time for them to back out, Commander Handsome?
That made Wil nervously clear his throat and look ahead. Getting involved with Robin’s sister after he’d already been involved with Robin’s “daughter” was just not going to happen.
Kerilyn once again tucked her tongue into her cheek and looked forward. It seemed that getting a rise out of Robin’s boss was even easier than getting a rise out of her older sister.
It was then that Keehani, ever the organiser, gestured to Wil with a simple raise of her eyebrows. It was time.
Nathan took a somewhat shaky breath as he made his way down the aisle with his mother practically hanging off of him. Her oldest son was getting married, so she was an absolute mess. Emotionally anyways. Nathan’s focus was on his steps as he approached Wil and the altar. There was music playing, but he wasn’t sure what exactly it was. All of his focus was put on one foot going in front of the other. Finally, he reached the end of the aisle and pried his arm free from his mother’s grasp. With a kiss on the cheek, he sent her towards her seat where his father was waiting to take care of the emotional wreck.
Next, as the viola meandered into a graceful rendition of ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’, Robin arrived at the water’s edge as well, stepping lightly off the boardwalk with an anxious little smile on her face as she took in the sight of her family and friends all gathered, and then Nathan standing at the front of the aisle. She took a deep breath as her mama took her hand and the two exchanged a look, not a word being spoken, before Melissa walked her daughter down the aisle, only separating from her after they had reached the front of the assembly.
The music faded as a general hush settled over the crowd.
Ukinix: Hello everyone. I know there are people here with titles, and ranks, and formal names, but I’m just going to stick with “everyone”. Because this day isn’t about us, this day is about two very special people - Robin Hopper and Nathan Richards. And all of us here are lucky enough to have been invited to witness these special people enjoy their special day.
Wil gestured for Nathan and Robin to face each other. The couple did as they were directed – after all, to not turn and stare deeply into each others’ equally excited and nervous eyes would now, officially, be an act of mutiny.
Ukinix: You can hold hands too. ::Playfully:: There’s a line in there about not biting each other, but hey that’s your business.
Robin’s eyes darted from Wil to Nathan and back, her lips forming a tiny mischievous smirk. Nathan’s teeth clacked together slightly behind his closed lips, which formed a small smirk of their own.
Hopper: I believe that generally comes after the wedding, Wil.
Richards: ::Winking at his bride:: Generally…
Ukinix: Marriage is a bond that says to each other more than “I love you”, it’s “I commit to you, even with your bad habits” and that’s something to be celebrated. Many before you have committed to each other, and today you join that long list of people who have found their incredible person. I believe you both have vows?
Taking a little breath and slightly clearing her throat, Robin decided to jump in first.
Hopper: Nathan… Before I met you, I thought I had a pretty good handle on who Robin Hopper was. She had a plan, a career, boundaries, a very clear idea of where her life was headed and nothing was going to change that trajectory. Enter Nathan Richards, covered in engine grease – some metaphorical, some real – and without realizing it, I started down a different path.
((Flashback – Summer, 2399, Amity Outpost))
Stepping out of the lift, Robin looked around, but could see no sign of anyone. It was strange – but it was the first moment since arriving on Amity that someone else hadn’t been around.
Hopper: Hello? ::Pause:: Ensign Richards?
Her voice rang out in the large space, echoing slightly off the walls.
Richards: ::muffled somewhat by the shuttle over him:: Welcome to The Cellar! Give me just a second.
Walking in the direction of the voice, Robin rounded a stack of transport crates and found herself looking at an old hodge-podge shuttle. A man in gold uniform was working underneath it – but she could hardly get a look at him.
Hopper: Lieutenant Robin Hopper, Science Division. ::Stepping over a pile of twisted cabling:: I take it you’re Ensign Richards?
At last the man set down his tools and slid back out from under the shuttle. He paused for a moment to look her over – long enough for Robin to notice. oO Keep things professional around this one! Oo she thought to herself, teasingly. She crossed her arms and smiled wryly as he got to his feet and dusted himself off.
Richards: Well, ::wide smile:: hello there.
Hopper: ::Chuckling:: Hi. Nice to meet you.
((End Flashback))
Hopper: I know the road we’ve been on together since then hasn’t always been smooth and we’ve been through some things together that most people hopefully never have to face. More than once I’ve thought I was facing the end of my story, but through all those desperate moments, you never wavered. You were steady when I couldn’t be. Made me laugh when I didn’t think I could. You showed me that when everything else feels like it’s falling apart, love can still be something solid.
((Flashback – Summer 2400, Mirror Universe))
Their eyes met for a brief second before he pulled himself to his feet and rushed over to her, wrapping his arms around her. She felt him pull her aside, as they scrambled to get behind some crates as phaser shots glanced off the landing pad and surrounding cover.
Richards: It’s okay. I’ve got you.
More shouts, and the sounds of boots and weapons fire advancing. Robin felt safe in his arms – though she knew that was silly. Death was coming for them, it was almost there. Nathan held her close as the firefight continued, some shots striking very close to where they hid. The smell of charred thermocrete filled the air.
She looked up at him, her blue eyes finding his steely gray ones.
Hopper: I… I didn’t think it would end like this. ::Brow furrowed:: We were supposed to save you.
Richards: We aren’t going to die. We will get out of this.
His words were meant to be comforting, she knew, but there was no truth to them. Their own security detail had been outgunned and outplayed, and in a minute or two they would be the only targets left for the Imperials.
Hopper: ::Shaking her head slightly:: I… Nathan, I don’t think we will.
Richards: ::Sigh:: Maybe not. ::Looking into Robin’s eyes:: I’m sorry. This never should have happened.
She nodded. All of this was just some tragic twist of fate – it was all wrong. Had that anomaly not appeared right in the Targhee’s flight path… had they not immediately found themselves taken captive by the rebels… had the Empress meant a word she said… But all those ‘what ifs’ weren’t relevant. What mattered was the final moment they had together.
Hopper: But it did.
She reached up, resting a hand on his cheek, a tiny forlorn smile on her face. At least, if she was going to die, it would be with her favourite person. It all seemed so trivial now – her fears about ‘getting involved’, her aversion to ‘falling in love’. She’d thought she was sparing them the pain of being torn apart by duty or by tragedy.
If she’d known then that they would die together, in each other’s arms, she would have chosen differently. What difference would it make now, she figured, to finally let her guard down?
Hopper: Nate– I…
Words couldn’t express what she was feeling, so she let her actions do the talking. She grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him towards her, desperate to know that in their last moments together, they had at least been truly connected with each other. As their lips met, she felt her fears and worries melt away, replaced by a surging feeling of calm reassurance. The butterflies, which she’d thought had died on that date, nearly a year ago, soared to life within her again – but were quickly replaced by the familiar warmth of a transporter beam enveloping them…
((End Flashback))
Hopper: You’re the person I trust most in this universe. The person who showed me I could be everything I wanted to be and more. So, today, I promise to always show up for you, too. To be there when things are good and when they’re awful. To fight for you, and for us, when it calls for it. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I do know this. If I didn’t choose to go into it with you, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
Robin reached to her neck and, delicately grabbing hold of the fine silver chain around her neck with her fingertips, unclasped the simple necklace and released the ring it had been holding onto for her – sliding it onto Nathan’s finger.
TBC in Part 2…
Lt. Cmdr Nathan Richards
A239905NR1
Lt. Cmdr Robin Hopper & Blake Richards
V239806K11
Commander Wil Ukinix & Kerilyn Hopper
V239511WU0