Zoey

The doorbell rings. Of course it rings moments after I came out of the shower, and while I’m the middle of applying a fresh lick of nail polish to my toes.

“Coming!” I yell.

I open the door and the delivery guy looks startled.

“What?” I snap. “You never seen a woman without make-up before? In fact, I don’t remember ordering anything.”

He hands me a thick envelope, turns around and leaves without saying another word.

I roll my eyes and close the door. What do we have here? A letter?

I don’t think I’ve received one of those in the last few decades. In fact, my door doesn’t even have a slot for it. I open the envelope and a second later a shriek of pure excitement leaves my lips.

You are cordially invited to Torin & Nora’s wedding it reads in fancy lettering.

My cousin is getting married! I didn’t even know she was engaged for crying out loud! Without reading on, I storm towards my holocam and dial her number.

“I can’t believe this,” I say, mock-scowling, at the holographic image of my cousin. “You’re getting married? M-A-R-R-I-E-D?!”

“That’s how it’s spelled, yeah,” she snorts. “Glad to know you can still read.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say while crossing my arms. “Congratulations!”

“Thank you,” she says. “You’re not really mad, are you? I wanted to tell you in person, but we found a perfect venue right away, but we had to book fast, and it all started to turn into a thing — you know how Zorans are — and next thing I know the invites were at the printer and…”

I can tell she’s nervous from her body language alone. She keeps glancing to the side, biting her bottom lip, and she keeps fidgeting with her hair. Classic Nora.

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “Really. It’s okay. I’m happy for you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” I laugh. “You’re getting freaking MARRIED to a Zoran! That’s the most important thing here. Whether or not you told me by mail, holo-call or messenger owl really doesn’t matter. I promise.”

“Okay,” she smiles. “Good.”

I hold up the invite. “By the way, who sends out physical cards anymore? What is this, the 20^th century?”

“It’s cute, right?”

I have to admit it is. There’s even a small cartoon drawing of the both of them on there!

“We’re mixing up both human and Zoran traditions, and while I was doing my research I stumbled upon these type of invitations in a history book, so…”

“You mean you didn’t have a scrap book ready to go?” I tease.

My cousin shakes her head. “You know me, Zoey. I’m like, the least likely person to plan their own wedding. I didn’t expect any of this, to be honest. I have one more thing to ask you, by the way.”

“What’s that?”

“Will you be my maid of honor?”

My chest swells with pride. “Of course,” I say. “Of course!”

“Glad to hear you’re on board!”

Already my mind is flooded with ideas for bachelorette parties and embarrassing speeches.

“Do you think there’s a Zoran version of Magic Mike? Ah nevermind, I’ll ask around.”

Nora blinks twice. “Err, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

“What?”

“This wedding isn’t just about me and Torin…”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “What could be more important than the two of you on your freaking wedding day?”

“I knew you’d react this way,” she chuckles. “However, the Zoran King thinks differently. I’m sure you’ve heard the news, about Onyx?”

“Heard about it? I’ve been badgered to death with it!”

Siya Onyx, the extremely wealthy heir to the Onyx empire, has absolutely dominated the news cycle for the past few weeks. Turns out, her company was doing more than just supplying colony-worlds with power. A lot more. To make a very long story short, she was caught developing a biological weapon that could wipe out all the Zorans. And she was dabbling in cloning, genetic manipulation… all part of some crazy scheme to take over the Federation and install herself as Queen of the World or something crazy like that.

Personally, I don’t get it. She had all the money, the power, the fame in the world — what else is there? Why can’t anyone ever be happy with what they have?

Anyway, a bunch of Zorans brought her down; with the help of some of their human female mates, I might add. In short, humans and Zorans relations are pretty tense right about now.

Which is why I think it’s so awesome that Nora is going to marry a Zoran. Siya Onyx had swept everybody into this fever, she blamed the Zoran for all Earth’s problems, and people ate that stuff up. Sure, they’re intimidating as fuck with their imposing height, their broad shoulders, their intense, brooding eyes…

But none of that makes them evil. Just don’t get on their bad side and you’ll be fine.

“Why do you ask?” I say. “Do you expect people to picket your wedding or something? I’m sure that won’t happen. Anyway, where did you even meet this Torin? Weren’t all the Zorans exiled to New Exon?”

My cousin grins at me. “The name Torin doesn’t ring a bell?”

“Should it?” I ask.

“Okay, sit down, and promise me you won’t get mad.”

“What?”

“Promise me!”

“Okay, I promise,” I sigh. Is she pregnant or something?

“You know The Resistance, right?”

“The Zoran group who took down Siya? Sure.”

“Torin was a part of that,” Nora says.

“No way!”

“And so was I.”

I just about fall out of my chair. My cousin? Part of a freaking rebellion?! WTF!

“WHAT?!” I bellow, my face red.

“Uh ah! You promised!”

“I promised I wouldn’t get mad if you, I don’t know, got a tattoo or something! But you were part of a freaking uprising?! Do you know how dangerous those people are!”

“I know. Trust me. That’s why we had to stop them.”

“I can’t believe this!”

“And I’d like to remind you that we won,” Nora smirks. “So no harm, no foul, right?”

This is not what I was expecting when the day started.

“I thought you were on a really long cruise,” I say. “I feel so dumb.”

“Don’t be. Sorry I tricked you, but the less everyone knew, the better, you know?”

“What about all those pictures you posted?”

“All fake.”

“Ugh,” I say as I think back to all the comments I left on a bunch of fake vacation photos.

“Anyway,” Nora says, taking a deep, long breath. “Now, onto the most important part.”

“There’s more?!” I say. “I don’t know if I can handle much more!”

“We’re getting near the end,” she says. “Trust me. So. The Human Federation and the Zoran Admiralty are not exactly seeing eye to eye at the moment. Due to the whole a-human-almost-committed-genocide-bit. And I’m getting married. To a Zoran. So… King Vinz thought it a good idea to make our wedding a bit of an…. Intergalactic peace summit.”

“A what now? And you’re okay with that?”

Nora shrugs. “I would have been fine with a small ceremony for just friends and family. However, if my wedding can help bring back a semblance of peace back to the galaxy, who am I to say no? If the Zoran King himself wants to throw us a three-day long feast that’ll rival those of ancient kings and queens, well… I guess that’s okay.”

“Whoah,” I say. “That sounds amazing.”

“It will be. So, my point is. One: There will be a lot of aliens there. Can you handle that?”

“Of course!” I say, even though I’ve never met an alien before. I saw a Zoran once, from a distance, but that’s about it. Still. Fake it ‘till you make it!

“Two: It’s next weekend.”

“That’s on rather short notice!”

“I know, but these Zorans are an impatient bunch. They want to strike while the iron is hot and all that. Can you make it?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Great. Okay, final question: How is your dancing?”

“My what now?”

“You might kinda have to dance with a Zoran groomsman in front of the leaders of just about every race in this cluster of space. Just a head’s up.”

Right. Just a head’s up. At the thought alone my damn head is already spinning!

“No problem,” I lie. “That’s not a problem at all.”

“Good! I can’t wait to see you again, Zoey!”