Tyran stood nervously in a small sectioned off alcove. The day had finally come.
He and Dinara would be married within the next few minutes. Admiral Pike was
with him in the alcove his, Renek, something similar to a best man in human
weddings. He continually assured Tyran that things would be ok, but he couldn't
help but worry. He was wearing traditional Bajoran wedding robes. The Bride
and Groom would both be clad in long white robes. The Renek's would be dressed
in clothes that barely passed the top of the thighs, although for Admiral Pike
they had made an exceptino and his was came down to his knees it also left the
arms bare. They wore a circlet of small Bajoran flowers round their heads. The
appearnace of Pike in this clothing under normal circumstances would have made
Tyran burst out with laughter, but today his mind was on other things.
A large gong sounded, the signal for the Renek's to step out of the alcoves
that the bride and groom known to Bajorans as the "Tarah" and the
"Pheneth" were ready. Pike stepped out nervously and Tyran sat nervously
awaiting the next gong.
Pike, along with Karissa (Dinara's Renek) climbed the long stairway to where Kira was standing. Kira himself was dressed in long robes similar to a traditional Bajoran Vedek. Pike and Dinara kneeled before him and briefly mumbled something in Bajoran. This was the signal for the next gong to sound. Kira nodded at a holographic Bajoran who sounded the gong again.
Tyran stood up from his small stool and stood before the curtain. *Here goes* he thought as he drew back the curtain. He looked around the temple. It was huge, the ceiling was at least thirrty feet high and arched across the vast room. To the left the guests sat, or rather knelt. There were no chairs or seating arranged for them and they all knelt in rows on the ground. Straight ahead was Dinaras alcove, yet to open. *She must be as nervous as me* he thought. He wasn't allowed to leave until Dinarqa opened her curtain and they both proceeded together. To his right, a small stariway leading onto a raised platform where Kira stood, with Pike and Karissa kneeling to either side.
He looked back at Dinara's alcove, waiting for her to pull back her curtain. Eventually it opened. Tyran looked at her and she nodded. The two left their alcoves and walked across the vast room to meet each other just below the steps. At this point, Karissa and Pike stood and came back down the steps. Pike took Dinaras hand and Karissa took Tyran's. They took them to the top of the stairs and the four of them stood in front of Kira. Pike and Karissa left Tyran and Dinara and headed back down to the bottom of the stairs.
"Tyran, Jin" Began Kira. "Pel ar arnod a let graté?"
"Tarol" answered Tyran
"Tarol" said Dinara.
Kira basically asked them if they were ready. He then stepped forward and took a hold of their ears and began to chant in Bajoran. This lasted for about ten minutes. Kira then released them and took a few steps back. Tyran and Dinara then linked hands and began to chant together along with Kira. This went on for longer than ten minutes.
The audience began to start getting restless.
"How much longer will this take?" whispered Hancock to O'Neil.
"God knows, but remind me never to accept an invite to a Bajoran wedding again" he replied.
Tyran and Dinara finished chanting and Kira took over again, only briefly this time. Tyran then kneeled and began speaking again.
Pike looked at Karissa with a look on his face as if to say 'I hope this is over soon'.
Hancock pulled Sean up off the ground who had slumped over and began snoring. Most of the crew had started looking round the temple now or were just staring into nothingness. Only a few looked as though they were still interested... McMillan Wang and Captain Evans, although his focus of attention wasn't on the wedding.
Finally it was Dinara's turn to kneel. Her speech wasn't as long as Tyrans, but it was long enough. Eventually they both stood and Kira stepped back toward them. He put his hands on their foreheads, spoke for a few seconds, then released them.
This signalled Karissa and Pike to head back up the steps. to meet Dinara and Tyran on the way down. They then took hands again and walked down to a small circle at the base of the steps. Here Dinara and Tyran left Pike and Karissa and took each others hands. They kissed and then walked off out of the holodeck. The audience clapped as they left and the holographic Bajoran insecantly banged on the gong as though he were enjoying it. Dinara and Tyran headed straight to the shuttle bay. The Captain had given them permission to take the flier for a few days on a honey moon of sorts.
"Married at last" smiled Tyran.
"At last" smiled Dinara
back, "Although Dinara Tyran is going to take a bit of getting used to"
she laughed.