The Crossroads

[Jam]

"She will come soon, Commander Feya. Just have a seat, alright?" Clay then turned towards the Duke of Norfolk. "Now it comes." He smirked a bit, and walked away to his position. Once he arrived, he gave a signal to a lass standing on the other side of the room.

The time was now...

---

[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.

Admiral John Clay - Retired and dead *sadface*

[Junes]

"Now it's really time, I already fear that-" Layla was interrupted in her thoughts by the slowly opening door right in front of her. The head of a young woman appeared, everything was ready, everybody was waiting full of expectation, only for her, she said. Layla felt very relieved, she stepped out of the room in a smooth manner and walked down through the corridor until she reached the ceremonially decorated hall. Many people were there, sitting or standing, talking to each other, all of them suited in natty clothes and with a relaxed smile on their faces. When she entered the big, bright hall, many of the guests glanced at her, now she had obviously grabbed all the people's attention. Layla suddenly became more self-confident, in a charming and swift manner she walked towards her fiancé, and soon husband, whom she had spotted in the crowd, talking humorously to his two conversational partners, Commodore O'Dukes and Lieutenant Clarke. Stepping onto the classy floor, which had apparantly been polished with great commitment, the quiet background music turned perceptibly louder.

[Jam]

Clay kept looking at Layla with happiness in his eyes. Now, they are standing there, where they will get married...

Silence. Everyone was silent. Waiting for the reverend to start. And he started:
"Friends and family of John and Layla, welcome here to share the great joy on this lovely day, in which their paths will unite. Let us join and support them, so they can continue spreading happiness." He made a brief pause, and continued. "It is one of the life's accidental suprises when two souls meet on their journey through this world, and join together to defeat its obstacles together, as husband and wife. Now, it is time for them to present their vows." He stopped and nodded at Layla, as it is her turn to speak now.

---

[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.

Admiral John Clay - Retired and dead *sadface*

[Mychalitzo]

"Okay chaps, lets meet at the hangar bay" Michael said and closed the console. Finished putting his uniform, he walked down to meeting point, saluted Sinclair and Clarke and got inside his templar. "Okay chaps, time for us is just at the end of the ceremony, when they walk outside. Feya should give us the signal via intercom when its the time. The plan is... We fly by at high subsonic, 300 metres, smoke on, then proceed with Immelman maneuvre with group splitting at the top point into three-point downfalling umbrella. After that I make another flyby, while you two get ready for a head on pass by, which would follow. Then you two guys make a heart with the smoke, and I will fly through it to pierce it. Easy as it sounds. And better put your weapons into safe mode." He chuckles and begins the launch sequence.

---

BAF|Capt.Michael.Clay

[Matthews]

Sinclair noded. "Yes ok, isn't that difficult" He steps into his poolished Templar and starts the engines. As the turbines warmed up the left one made a weird noise. Sincair thought "Hm, won't be anything bad, and i won't use it too hard today" he smiles and flies through the open hanger.
"I'm in formation with you sir, ready for departure"

---

[Azan27]

Somewhere in Dublin, a Templar sat, a long distance away from any orbital body, its engine killed, and running on minimal power. It was there that Richard Hastings was seated in his Sunday best, waiting for the right moment...
*Beep...* *Beep...* His neural net schedual had just signaled that an event was about to start.
*That'd be Clay's wedding,* he though to himself. *The ceremony must just be starting.*
*No matter...* though Richard. He hadn't planned on making it to the ceremony anyways. He intended to arrive unfashonably late, in the true Hastings manner. Besides, he had a job to do; that ment he had at least some sort of excuse for his tardyness.

It had been just a few days earlier, at Capitan (now Commodore, as Richard had to remind himself) Clay's Stag party. It was a little thing, just a few of the Armed Forces chaps who had happened to be in the bar that night... One thing had led to another, and eventually Richard had ended up shirtless, hugging Clay vigorously, and promising to do him a "favor." That favor consisted of one bottle of #607 "Expansionist" Whiskey.

"Expasionist" whiskey, or "Ol' Black" as it was fondly known on Cambridge, was hands down the rarest and most sought after whiskey in western Bretonia. During its time, only 1000 bottles had been produced, and the last remaining crate had resided in the personal residence of one Edmund Graves, the now famously deceased Lord of Graves station. The main problem with procuring a bottle of Ol' Black laid in the fact that the Molly rebels, when they had first risen up against Lord Graves, had decided to make off with the stuff, presumibly for "celebration" later on in the day. Three hours and one minefield later, and the crate been lost amongst a freighter's debree, leaving it to be looted, scavanged, and scattered across half of Sirius. Richard had been lucky enough to pick up a tip that one of the mythical bottles was currently residing in a Junker outpost, some ways north of the Battleship Hood.

Richard looked down, adjusted his scanner, and checked his bowtie. He might miss the ceremony, but by all that he held sacred, Richard swore that he would have the bottle for Clay before the party was out.

---

Let it burn.

[Rubber_Duck]

When Layla Cooper appeared, and he had seen her heading towards Johnny, Finlay took a few steps back.

The crowd also did, leaving Clay a free space to talk, and to finally welcome all the guests.
"They have a huge amount of friends and collueges" Finlay thought for himself.

He took a look at the bride. She was looking incredibly beautiful. "Johnny Johnny." Finlay thought. "There you picked the best you could get. Pretty, intelligent, and loyal. And even in a uniform looking enormously attractive. Not to mention the dress for today..."

After those quiet thoughts, he turned all his attention to Johnny, who was still speaking. Once John finished, Finlay started to applause, as the others did. "A good speech§, he said to himself, and started to whistle. "There it begins..." And with a final glance at his glass of water, he began to wait for the wedding ceremony to take part, looking around for the Duke of Norfolk, whom he knew he was here, but hadn't seen yet.

---

[Junes]

Now Layla was standing there, on the right hand side John, in front of her the reverend, which had just spoken, now it was supposed to be her turn. For a minuscule moment it was utterly quiet. Layla felt her heart beating and sensed the guest's fixed gazes on her body. The reverend gently took her hand and led it into John's one. Looking calmly and serenely deep into her soon-husband's eyes, she began to speak:

"I, Layla Cooper, take you, John Clay, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

[Jam]

Clay smiled. It was his turn. With a nod of the reverend he began to speak, looking directly into Layla's eyes.

"I will never forget the day I first saw you. I felt... amazed. It was not love on first sight, but I knew we were going to have a contact. Until you did what you have done on board of Sovereign." He suddenly paused, and threw a glance at Duke of Norfolk. "But that's kinda off-topic here." He chuckled, and looked back at Layla. "Now, I am holding you here, in this room, holding your hands, swearing my love to you." He paused for few seconds, took a deep breath, and continued. "If I had to decide between you, or our nation, I would just dig out a hole into my chest, rip my heart of it, tear it into two pieces. One piece goes to Bretonia, the other one to you, Layla." He smiled, and took a little step towards her. "With these words, I swear my love to you, I will stand by your side in sickness or health, always and everywhere. Whatever meets us on our path, I will be with you." He nodded a little to sign the reverend he ended his speech.

The Reverend continued: "They have now sworn their love to each other. They decided to walk on the path of life together, and beat all obstacles which come into their way. Now that you have already done what you didn't have to, you may seal the deal with a kiss."

John and Layla both smiled, hugged each other, and leaned in for the kiss, which changed their lives forever.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you John and Layla, Husband and Wife!"

With these words, the crowd started applausing. Fresh couple looked at them, smiling. They approached their guests knowing it was time for congratulations and presents...

---

[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.

Admiral John Clay - Retired and dead *sadface*

[Toaster]

Andrew jumped up out of his seat and applauded loudly, whooping wildly. As the the freshly married Commodore and Ensign approached the guests, he tried to wriggle his way through the crowd in order to congratulate them personally.
Bloody hell, he thought as he nearly knocked over an elderly woman, they sure have a lot of friends.

---

Olivia Sable