Star flight

Chapter 5: space port ool'avine

"Do you, linn alsorvan kirstainia alavile, take Lexan of sword, to be your lawfully wedded husband? to love and to hold for all eternity and beyond?"

"I do" linn said happily, dressed in blue silk

"And do you, Lexan of sword, take linn alsorvan kirstainia alavile to be your lawfully wedded wife? to love and to hold for eternity and beyond?"

"I do" Lexan replied, his hand tied together to hers, dressed in a blue silk shirt, pants and robe.

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride"

The crowd went wild, cheering as the two couples kissed. Lexan placed one hand on the side of her face and kissed her, while the other hand was entwined with hers.

The king stepped forward and yelled "may we all congratulate the two new princess and prince of alavile!" the crowd roared its approval to the sky, while some sulked and muttered darkly, mainly linns old suitors.

***

Lexan watched as the princesses personal affects were loaded onto the ship, nothing heavy or cumbersome, just clothes and such. The king hugged her daughter good bye as the queen cried, Jonson smiled and waved good bye to Lexan, which he returned.

The king strode forward and smiled, shaking his hand "good bye for now Lexan! I suggest you try the space ports for information, and remember, if something comes up, tell us" he nodded "what am I looking for exactly?" "Remember when you smelt that horrible smell?" he did, and it still burnt his nose "that is due to advanced state of decay of living flesh, when you smell that, that is a tell tale sign.....oh, and the people will be openly aggressive"

"So they'll attack us?" "ah, yes, the best you can do is subdue them" "how? the guards we attacked were pretty strong" "as to that, I have no idea......it may be that you have to kill some" he nodded, grimly.

"Again good luck, and may the moons guide you"

***

Linn looked around their quarters with a look of disdain, the place was a mess! empty packets of space rations and pre mixed alcohol drink cans scattered over the floor, she tutted and began cleaning.

She heard a growling sound and turned to see kis'na, she was staring straight at her with a glare. linn smiled, knelt and held out her hand.....kis'na sniffed it and snorted, then turned around and walked away.

Linn frowned and shrugged before returning to cleaning up "she doesn't like strangers" Lexan said as he stood by the door "add to that the fact that I practically raised her and you have one jealous wolf" he smiled at her and walked up to her, she smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"Where are we headed first?" linn asked, though liking the comfortable silence "I figure we should head for the dark stations first, ones that planets have lost contact with" she nodded "how many are there?" "so far? three, port salva, port golden and port ool'avine" she looked at him and said "those are all grouped around the asteroid planets aren't they?" "Yep, and their all close to alavile, so I'm guessing that's how the disease got there, it jumped a ship and infected them"

Linn nodded and asked "sounds plausible, when do we head off? and how far away are the astroied planets?" "were heading there now, and about three thousand light years......which reminds me, you need to learn how to use a gun" "why?" "your father told me that the disease makes people aggressive, he also explained that it may be necessary to kill them"

Linn was silent, she had no desire to kill.....but what if you have no choice? is murder then acceptable? some would say no, but then.....how many of those people had been faced with a choice like that, it was easy to say you wouldn't when you were under no threat, but if you life and someone else's suffering were on stake? what then.....