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Scene #84
First Dance
Ledge surveyed the crowd in the
crystal and gilt ballroom. Easily two hundred guests, four hundred
eyes watching the bride and groom. Years ago his grandmother told
him an ancient earth tale about miracles happening at a wedding.
This miracle wouldn't be as easy as feeding a multitude, though.
Heck, if he could pull this off, he could start actually believing
his own press. The tabloids already touted him as the Psychic
Rule-breaker. Deserved or not, he had a reputation for pushing the
psychic envelope beyond what most learned experts believed to be
possible. As CEO of Extra Sensory Specialists, Inc., Ledge had
confidence in his own abilities. He started the company out of his
cramped living quarters with nothing more than a mobile holophone
and a first generation compu-droid. Now his company, which
specialized in psychic consulting for corporate clients, had
offices on all three of Nuterra's continents. Ledge
glanced again at the radiant bride, then beyond her to her luscious
older sister, Rana. The bride's only attendant, Rana's turquoise
silks were the exact color of her eyes. Her black hair that Ledge
knew would fall past her hips when unrestrained, added inches to
her height with a dozen twists and braided coils. Just looking at
Rana made him ache. Ledge was glad for his own groom's attendant
garb, loose trousers and long black tunic. Rana had
requested tonight's miracle. Her sweet sister, Saren, deserved a
perfect wedding. When they were girls Saren had talked about her
dream wedding. She had planned the music that would play and the
food that would be served long before she met the perfect groom.
The laughing, singing and dancing girl that Saren had been was one
that Ledge had never known. He met Saren and Rana only weeks ago at
Camson and Saren's betrothal party. Camson was the handsome groom
and Ledge's executive officer in charge of the pre-cog division. He
had asked Ledge to be his attendant. It was an honor that Ledge
couldn't think of a tactful way to wriggle out of. Great Providence
that he hadn't, or he might never have met Rana! Damn. If he didn't
make the impossible happen tonight, it might not matter anyway.
Saren the laughing and dancing girl was no more. Saren had
become a lovely young woman, quiet and uncomplaining. Two years
past Saren had been caught in the Southlands meteor shower. Twenty
minutes of terror had left three people dead and a dozen more
injured. Saren's hip and left leg had been shattered.
Unfortunately, after two attempts to correct with surgery, Saren's
body rejected all bioimplants. She had to fall back to old world
prosthetics that left her using a walkhelper to lean upon and an
airmobile chair to get around. However, tonight Rana wanted Saren
to dance the traditional first dance with her new husband, and
Ledge was supposed to make it happen. Ledge was a touch
clairvoyant. He occasionally got flashes of other people's
thoughts, a talent useful in the business world. His primary
psychic gift though, was the one that they were counting on
tonight. He was a Viz-Aud Projector. In controlled settings, with a
limited number of people, and for a limited amount of time, Ledge
could project his own visualizations into other people's minds. The
images in his imagination he could project with exquisite clarity
into the minds of others so that they could see, and hear, and
believe. A limited number for a brief time… But four hundred
people? For a three minute swing waltz? It was time to find out if
he was good enough. Mr. and Mrs. Camson Sands had just been
introduced. Ledge memorized every fold and shimmer of Saren's
iridescent silks, and the tender look in her husband‘s eyes. He
centered his thoughts and sent the energy outward in an
encompassing arch. Camson took his bride by the hand and led her
gently to the center of the room. The strings and horns began the
lilting melody. Camson placed his hand at Saren's trim waist.
Gazing into each other's eyes they glided and twirled around the
floor. Camson's steps were steady and sure, and Saren was graceful
and lithe in his arms. Her dimpled smile outshone the crystal drop
lamps. Her silks swirled and glistened around them. The melody
played on. The beautiful refrain echoed in Ledge's heart. Sweat
dampened his hair and pooled at the base of his spine. The viz was
perfect. The bride and groom were love in motion. As the
last notes faded to silence, Camson lowered Saren gently into her
airmobile chair. He knelt at her feet, took her face in his hands
and pressed his lips to hers. The applause of the guests thundered
around them. Ledge's eyes found Rana's in the crowd. “Thank you,
thank you,” she mouthed as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.
Her face was the last that he saw. He staggered to the antechamber
as his world dimmed. He tried to make it to the divan, but inches
short Ledge slumped to the carpet in a dead faint.
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