Hermes shifted as he tried to get more comfortable in his seat. "We are here to divide up our new stellar system." Serenity said to open the meeting. "There are twelve planets, and sixty-eight of us, that makes five or six of us per planet."
Aphrodite smiled lazily and drawled out, "Sounds awfully crowded to me!"
Serenity shot a look of annoyance toward her as titters flitted through her audience. "In order to minimize conflict," Hermes stifled a smile. Did Serenity give that word just a bit more emphasis than was necessary? "we should choose a leader for each planet, and then split up. First we have to choose twelve leaders."
Ares stood up. "I think there are a few we can easily agree on, here." He hooked his fingers in his belt. Hermes wanted to give him a sound thrashing--the man annoyed him to no end--but he had to admit, only a man of all brawn, no brain, would stand up during a delicate moment like this and take over the conversation.
Serenity motioned for Ares to continue and Hermes nodded in appreciation. He'd always known Serenity was a compassionate and wise leader. Right now she was being wise, and letting Ares handle this difficult moment.
"I think we can all agree that Serenity and Sol each should get a leadership position. Hades and Chronos also unquestionably number among the most powerful of us." Ares glared around the room, but no one even wanted to challenge these obvious choices. "Minerva and Hermes are also two good choices--we need smart people, not just fighters." Hermes looked up in surprise at that. Everyone knew how he felt about Ares. Maybe the soldier wasn't an idiot after all! Ares continued, ignoring the startled reactions of those around him. "We probably will want some strong fighters on the perimeter planets, such as Charon, Poseidon, and Ouranos. Zeus and Aphrodite are also good choices." He turned to bow valiantly in Aphrodite's direction, and she smiled winsomely back at him. Lastly he turned toward Gaia. "Lastly, I suggest Gaia receive one of the already habitable planets. Since she is so skilled with living things, I think its only wise she have one of the two planets that are going to supply most of our food for the first few decades. Now, if I'm not too thick to count I believe that adds up to twelve." Ares smiled over at Hermes with an ironic tilt in his eyebrows. Hermes felt a sudden urge to stand up and applaud, but Sol found his feet first.
"I would suggest," he began, with his trademark grin, "that Ares himself be given a planet as well."
Hermes couldn't resist a smart comment. "I'm afraid, Sol, that your grasp of numbers seems to be less firm than Ares. You see, that would make thirteen." Sol shot him a sour look.
"I know that. I wish to step down from ruling one of the planets. I want the star."
Serenity stood up at that. "It's wonderful that you're willing to step down from rule, but you can't really live on the star--even with our technology."
"I don't have to live there. But I think it's the most appropriate body in this system for me to rule. Don't you?" He turned to her and took her hands in his. Hermes smiled. He'd never seen Serenity blush like that before. She could do nothing more than nod. Sol turned to the assembly, but didn't let go of Serenity's hands. "Can anyone think of a reason these appointments, with Ares in my place, should be changed?" No one ventured to raise a hand. Hermes nodded in agreement. Ares' choices were very appropriate. Sol smiled out over everyone. "Well, then, since nobody has any objections, all we have to do is decide who gets what planet." He turned back to face Serenity. "I just wanted to ask, Serenity, before we got to that, if you'd mind if I lived on whatever planet you choose."
"I--I don't quite know if I understand what you're asking," she stuttered. Hermes got ready to cheer--he could see what was coming.
Sol went down to one knee. "Serenity, will you marry me?"
"I--I. . ." Her blue eyes filled with tears. Hermes grinned. This was absolutely perfect!
Sol gently kissed her hand. "Please?"
"Yes!" She cried out happily, and fell to her knees next to him to give him a long kiss.
Hermes shook his head. Why didn't he ever have cigars when he needed them? Well, there was no help for it. He had to do something to congratulate the couple. He raised his voice. "Hip! Hip!"
Everyone else caught on quickly. "Hooray!"
"Hip! Hip!"
"Hooray!"
While everyone was still cheering, Bacchus ran forward with a bottle of wine. He happily popped off the cork. "We need to make a toast, everyone! Gather 'round!" Everyone surged forward to congratulate Serenity and Sol. Somehow, Hermes doubted any more business would be completed tonight.
*****
Serenity opened her eyes and looked around in confusion for a minute. Where was she? This wasn't her berth on her ship. . . She sat up suddenly as she remembered. She held up her hand. Her new wedding ring sparkled in the dim light. She turned to look over at Sol, still asleep. She was tempted to reach out and touch his face--so smooth and childlike when he was asleep--but held back. He'd need all the sleep he could get. Last night had been their only honeymoon. They didn't have time for anything more. She smiled as she gently got out of bed, being careful not to jostle Sol. Everything had moved so fast. She pulled on her robe and walked over to the little mirror on the wall. In one night she'd been proposed to, engaged, and married. Life was so uncertain now. Serenity and Sol had decided they didn't want to put things off any longer. She began to brush out her long, silver hair. She felt a bit guilty. They were all still in grave danger, and she felt as if she were betraying her duty by being so happy. She'd planned to wait, but when Sol had looked up at her with his burning amber eyes, and said "please" to her, so forlornly. . .what else could she do? She divided her hair in half and pulled the two halves forward on opposite sides of her neck, then she took a large lock of hair and began to make the first odango. Aphrodite had even been kind enough to offer them her luxurious ship for the next week or so, with synthetic gravity, a bed, a mirror, and a bathroom with running water. What more could a newly married couple desire? Serenity smiled and hummed as she pulled the first ponytail up to the odango, and started on the other. Today would be a busy day. She was thankful to Ares for taking care of the difficult task of appointing leaders, but now they had to decide who got what planet, and split up the rest of their group. Then they had to make plans for their defense. Serenity sighed mournfully, her momentarily cheerful tune forgotten. She knew Chaos would come after them eventually. She had to--Serenity had Ginzuishou. She closed her eyes and held out her hand, and the silvery stone popped into existence above her open palm. She held it up to the light and looked at it. So much trouble over such a small stone. Was it worth the lives that would probably be lost over it? She closed her eyes and fought down depression. It was worth it. It was. If she had let irresponsible people continue to possess it, it would have been used to enslave the whole galaxy.
Serenity shook her head. This responsibility shouldn't have fallen to her hands. She was well versed in magic and leadership, but such duties should rightfully have fallen to Galaxia. If only she hadn't been missing! Serenity had no idea where Galaxia was, and finally, when she saw that Chaos was getting strong, almost too strong to be stopped, she'd been forced to take Ginzuishou from out of her feeble mother's hands and forced to take matters into her own. Maybe--maybe if her mother hadn't been so sick--so tired--maybe then Haven wouldn't have been so easily taken over by Chaos. But maybe's did no good. Serenity and her small group of followers were on their own.
Serenity put down her brush and stared at herself in the mirror. She shook her head and straightened her slumping shoulders. This was much too depressing to think about on the day after her wedding! She should be happy! She should be smiling and singing! She should be--
"Good morning, Serenity." Sol's sleepy words interrupted Serenity's thoughts. She turned to face him, and
couldn't help but smile as she met his eyes.
"Good morning. What would you like for breakfast?" Serenity stood up and walked over to the small kitchen alcove. Aphrodite's little yacht had everything .
Two hands fell on her shoulders, and she could feel their burning warmth through her thin robe.
"I wasn't thinking about breakfast ...."
Business and breakfast would have to wait a little longer.
*****
"Serenity! Lady Serenity! Wait, please!" Luna gasped out. Finally the tall woman in white heard her, and slowed her pace. She turned with an abstracted look in her eyes.
"Yes?"
"Lady Serenity, everyone's waiting for you! They've been waiting for almost half an hour! We were worried something was wrong! It's not in the cargo bay--we're conferencing from the bridge of Hermes' ship. Where were you?"
Serenity gave her a dreamy smile. "I was just married yesterday, Luna. Surely you and Artemis haven't been together so long that that doesn't mean anything to you."
Luna felt her face heat up. In her rush to organize everything for the conference, she'd forgotten about last night's momentous event. It didn't help that she'd been up all night working, either. She coughed uncomfortably. "I think you have the wrong idea. Artemis and I aren't--we don't--we're just friends....er...co-conspirators, you understand."
Serenity laughed happily and patted her on her back. "Of course. Of course. How silly of me!" She straightened her dress and looked at the smaller woman. "Well, then, let's get down to business. Hermes' bridge, did you say?"
"Yes, Lady Serenity."
*****
Sol wiped his forehead. Even though they weren't all crowded into that horrible cargo bay, there were still to many people in Hermes' ship's command room. This meeting would probably be unpleasant-it was way too warm, and the conference hadn't even started yet.
Serenity was speaking. Sol had an almost insurpressable urge to grab her hand, but he held back. This wasn't the place... Instead he listened.
"I think we can all agree that the larger habitable planet should go to Gaia. It will give her room to grow all of the food and other supplies we'll need the first few years after we settle." She waited for any objection, and receiving none, continued. "Next we should worry about our outer defenses. Hades and Charon should take the outer two planets, the second binary system. They're both strong fighters, and work well together. Next should come Poseidon and Ouranos, to provide backup if Hades and Charon need it."
Chronos interrupted Serenity suddenly. "I think I should have the next planet--the one with the extensive ring system. My powers over time will be useful closer to the edge of the stellar system, where I won't interfere with the population centers so much, but I do want to be within the protected perimeter."
Serenity nodded at him. "That is good thinking, Chronos. I agree. Okay, then. Next we have the largest planet. I think that Zeus should have that one--the dividing line between safe territory and the frontier." She looked over to Zeus with a smile. "Can you be hold that planet against attack, Zeus?"
He stood up and clapped a fist to his large chest. "Of course I can! I may not have the most spectacular powers of anyone here, but I think I speak fairly when I say am one of the best fighters here." Sol watched Ares' face redden at the rude challenge, and he cleared his throat loudly. Ares looked at him, his eyes fairly bulging out of his head, and Sol slowly shook his head. Ares gave him an angry look, but did sit back down. Serenity continued as if she hadn't noticed any disturbance.
"Next comes the first rocky planet, and the largest. I think Minerva would be a good choice for that planet. Then Ares on the smaller red planet." Sol smiled as Serenity went out of her way not to look at either Ares or Zeus.
It was definitely smart to put the mild-mannered Minerva between those two. He'd managed to marry not only the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, but also the smartest. He glowed with pride. Serenity's voice went on.
"Then comes the second binary system--two lush, life-filled planets. We've already decided Gaia should have the largest of the two. I would like to request the other, but if Aphrodite or Hermes would rather--" She looked over at them, and they both negligently waved her offer away.
Aphrodite smiled. "I want the next one--the bright, pretty one."
Hermes spoke up as well. "And I would actually prefer the first planet from the star. This is a very interesting system, and I'll greatly enjoy studying it." He rubbed his hands together gleefully. Sol just shook his head. He'd never understand that man.
"I would like everyone who doesn't already have a planet assigned to choose where they want to live. I think that at first most will want to live on Gaia's planet or mine, until the others are ready for larger populations. We'll arrive at the system in a week, so let's be organized for landings by the time we get there."
Serenity stepped back from the holocamera and microphone, and strode up to Sol. He put his hands on her waist. "Now that that's over," Serenity said softly, "I think we should go back to the room Aphrodite was so kind to lend to us for the rest of our trip."
Sol didn't even try to say anything. He just nodded and followed her back.