Chapter Twenty

GABRIELLA, THREE WEEKS LATER

I leaned forward, laying a bouquet of white and blue poppies on the stairs in front of me. Taking a step back, I looked all the way up, admiring a ten-foot tall statue on a bronze pedestal. Talented Maztek sculptors had chiseled the majestic form from jade, and encapsulated Dad's likeness in exquisite detail. The statue depicted Dad wearing a lab coat. His initials were prominently displayed on the chest pocket. A pair of gold-rimmed frames fashioned from real gold sat on his nose. With one hand fixed on his hip, he gazed out into the distance, his grin set for eternity.

The park custodians were taking excellent care of the statue. The fifteen-year-old sculpture looked perfectly polished and the dazzling rays of the sun bounced off the surface.

When I first saw it, I thought it had been erected last week.

"Look at you, Dad. You look incredible."

Hiking up the flowing raven-black fabric of my dress, I dropped to my knees. I reached out to the silver-plated plaque, touching each word with my fingers. "In remembrance of Dr. Keith Marshall Hathaway – a brave soul with unmatched integrity, and a human who truly valued love and understanding above all. May he forever rest in peace."

"I miss you, Dad. Wherever you are. I wish you could see how much you've done for the Maztek, and how much you've done for me."

A tear rolled off my cheek, splashing against the year indicating my father's demise. It marked the end of a life cut short before its time.

"Excuse me. Are you all right?"

I wiped my cheeks hastily and turned around. A Maztek woman with a braided ponytail stood in front of me, carrying a basket of groceries in her arms. She set down her basket and approached me slowly.

"Don't mind me," I assured her with a tear-eyed smile. "I'm fine. I was just admiring the statue, that's all."

"Ah, yes. Dr. Hathaway. What a beautiful human." She touched the small pendant around her neck, twirling the tiny pink gem pensively. "Are you his daughter?"

"I am. How did you know?"

"We all know. You have Marshall's eyes. I could recognize them anywhere." The woman's lip trembled as she lowered her hand to her chest. "He's not dead, you know. He lives through you."

"You know something? All my life, no one ever mentioned my Dad on Earth. But now that I'm on a different planet, that's all I ever hear from anyone. It's bizarre."

"Maybe so, but you'll get accustomed to it. Your father touched all our lives – some more than others."

"Did you know him, too?"

"Not personally." The woman's voice was filled with emotion. "We were strangers. That made what he did for me incredible."

"Why do you say that?"

"At the time, I was fifteen, and eight months pregnant. The father of my child had abandoned me the moment I informed him of the pregnancy, so he was no longer in the picture. Both my parents had perished in the Fallgold incident and I was living on the streets. My baby decided she wanted to come out earlier than expected. I was bleeding and couldn't understand why. Every doctor turned me away when they found out I was poor – everyone except Dr. Hathaway."

The woman paused for a moment, lost in thought.

"If I had run into your father only thirty minutes later, I would have lost my baby. Dr. Hathaway did not specialize in deliveries, but he called in some favors and a team appeared like magic. Four harrowing hours later, she was born."

"That's absolutely beautiful," I whispered. My heart swelled with so much pride that it threatened to burst from my chest. "It sounds like something Dad would have done. I'm glad to hear your baby made it."

"She's not a baby any longer." The woman pointed out a young girl with a short, spiky haircut, sitting by the stream. The teenager picked flowers from the grass and took apart the petals, making small homes for the insects. "She's the reason I wake up every morning. Her name is Marleigh. I named her after the kind doctor who helped bring her to this world."

"That's a pretty name. I..."

"Gabriella?"

Cheyenne ambled up the path from my left, dressed in black robes similar to mine.

"Come on. It's starting."

"I have to go." I smiled at the woman one more time, touching her gently on the arm. "Thank you."

A somber mass of thousands of Maztek bodies left no spaces in the bleachers around me. The breathtaking circular dome of the Fallgold Colosseum was packed, but the air was supernaturally quiet. It seemed like everyone was holding a glowing candle, brightly illuminating the dome. Garlands of flowers weaved in and out of the pillars. Gold and white tapered candlesticks hovered over the triangular center stage. The ceiling of the dome displayed a moving image of diamond stars on a mystical violet night background.

"...Specialist Artillery Gunner Maxwell Radley, Specialist Sniper Scout Jarrod Woodacre, and last, but not least – my father, Jacquim."

I stopped looking around the dome and focused on the stage. The tiny figure of Princess Ayala dipped its head forward, her white-blonde locks of hair cascading around her shoulders and shielding her face. She removed her crown, holding the circle of intricate gold thorns encrusted with pearls and precious stones over her heart. I spotted Laz, Dallas, and Kraig in the front row. Their chests glinted with arrays of shiny medals and pins. They too bowed their heads for a moment of silence.

Princess Ayala turned to the podium next to her and raised a silver champagne flute. "Tonight is a memorial to the dead. We give unending thanks to our military for bringing the hostages home safe and sound, as well as finally defeating the Xylox oppression. We remember the fallen souls for their bravery and for playing a crucial role in restoring peace and sovereignty to Maztek. May their memories live on forever, and may their legacies continue. Malam gambi."

"Malam gambi."

Voices echoed throughout the dome in unison. Simultaneously, we blew out our candles, enveloping the room in a solemn darkness. The lights in the Colosseum slowly flickered back to life.

As I started to make my way down the bleachers, Cheyenne rose from her seat next to me. "Gabriella." She tugged on my wrist. "Princess Ayala would like to see you."

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow. "What, like right now?"

"No time like the present," Cheyenne said enthusiastically, nudging me down the steps of the bleachers.

"Alright, alright – I'm going!"

As we reached the landing, Cheyenne flashed me a giddy wink before disappearing into the crowd. I waited by the foot of the stage. I wasn't going to burst in on alien royalty. Princess Ayala had her back to me. She was speaking to a group of kingdom attendants. One of them motioned to her, and the Princess stopped abruptly.

"Wonderful. She is here." She clapped her hands together and gestured at me. "Come on, ladies, there is no time to waste!"

That was the last thing I remember hearing before a mob of servants closed in around me. Two women slipped their arms around mine. They led me to a place I had only seen in passing: the back rooms of the dome. The princess walked smoothly down the stairs next to us.

The attendants led me behind a thick black curtain, pushing me into one of the dressing rooms. Before I knew it, two women were undoing the ribbons tied around my shoulders. As they pulled my black dress over my head, an attendant appeared at my side. She held a white gown which reached to the floor and had a lace, gold-accented train behind it. There were accessories, too. Rose pearls adorned the belt and shoulders of the draped Grecian sleeves.

"Is this for me?" My eyebrows shot up my forehead in disbelief. I wasn't in control of anything. The attendants slipped the gown over my head, smoothing it over my body. I spun around in a circle, gazing at the mirror which appeared front of me. The dress fit like a dream. The attendants behind me began combing out my hair. The ones in front of me attacked my face with powder puffs and sparkly makeup. "Why am I getting the Princess treatment?"

"I know you were the last person my father saw before he died." Princess Ayala placed a hand over mine, gently squeezing. "Thank you for not leaving him to die alone."

"Of course. Anyone would have done the same thing."

As soon as the attendants finished fussing over me, Princess Ayala took me by the hand. She guided me out the dressing room and walked me toward the back doors of the Colosseum. The doors opened with a wave of her hand, allowing a radiant splash of afternoon sunlight to spill into the room. Princess Ayala took a colorful bundle of orchids, roses, and daisies from her attendant. She handed it to me with a smile.

"That's not true. Many would have run away. This is my way of saying thank you. You never had the chance to have an official wedding."

With shaking fingers holding on to the bouquet, I stepped out of the dome.

"Oh my God."

I stood on a white silk carpet rolled out over the lush grass. The carpet was sprinkled with flower petals, leading to a gorgeous floral arch at the end of the path. A lump started forming in my throat when I saw who was underneath the arch.

Laz stood waiting for me, wearing his finest set of Maztek army fatigues. Stylists had trimmed and carefully groomed his hair. His beard had been snipped and carefully groomed. I loved seen a clean alien in a uniform.

There were many people around us making noise, but I scanned them looking for one in particular. I found her in an instant. Cheyenne was sitting in the front row, and her cheers were the loudest of all. She sat next to Dallas and their arms were intertwined. She dropped his arm to wave at me enthusiastically.

I never thought I would have so many people cheering at my wedding.

As I started down the carpet, the orchestra next to the arch began to play a familiar melody. To my surprise, it wasn't the traditional wedding tune. A tear fell out of the corner of my eye, tainting the powdered blush on my cheeks.

The music I heard was Dad's lullaby.

It felt like my feet were floating down the aisle as I made my way toward Laz. Princess Ayala appeared behind the arch holding a rod of blessing. I couldn't stop smiling, and neither could Laz. He reached into his chest pocket, pulling out a gold band between his fingers. Precious Maztek stones adorned the circle of gold, and the diamond from my missing earring featured prominently in the center.

Laz slid the ring over my finger, leaning over to whisper something into my ear. "You look beautiful, naima."

I reached up and put both hands on his chin, pulling him in for a long, deep kiss.

"I'm forever yours, naima."

As I pulled away from Laz, Princess Ayala stepped between us.

"Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today to celebrate the love and beauty of these two souls, and join them together for eternity."