"One Quiet Day Before A Wedding."
by Mr. David R. Dorrycott
B.J. Bunny answered the doorbell, finding a tall, slightly non-decrypt, fairly studious young squirrel/morph standing on the other side.
"Mr. B.J. Bunny?" she asked.
"Yes mam" he answered. Taking in the expensive, tailored business suit, over-rich leather briefcase, pulled-back-into-a-bun blond hair and overlarge circular gold-wire framed glasses. 'Lawyer' he thought to himself as her fresh scrubbed scent came to him, He desperately searched his memory for anything he might have done (lately) to cause this visit.
"My name is Colleen MacBride Mr Bunny. I represent the firm of Winston, Salem, and Burnam. I have a package for you. May I come in?"
"Please do" B.J. answered, stepping away from the door.
"Thank you" she answered, stepping quietly into the apartment. "I have a rather important legal document to turn over to you." She looked at the couch, then moved towards the dining room table. "May I sit down?"
"Why, certainly" B.J. answered, flustered at his sudden unexplained lapse of manners. "Would you like a drink?"
"No thank you" the woman answered as she unlocked her briefcase. "This shouldn't take long and I have several more visits to attend to." She pulled out a rather thick envelope addressed to B.J and his fiancé. Removing a rather thick form attached to the envelope she handed both to B.J.
"If you would just sign here, indicating that you received the package I will be happy to turn the envelope over to you."
B.J. scanned the form, a semi-understandable legal muck of words that, in the end, simply said that he had received a specific package. Nothing more. Still it took almost six thousand words to say it, all in six point type. Digging out his pen he carefully signed his name, bearing down hard to insure it copied through all fourteen pages. Handing the signed form to the young lawyer he sat down.
"Just what is this all about?" he asked.
The lawyer smiled slightly, "My employer is retained by a rather wealthy, eccentric, and extremely busy client. She has asked that we.. I mean I, offer her apologies that she cannot attend your wedding. However" she indicated the envelope, "She did want you to know that she wishes she were here, and that this 'Poor excuse for a gift' is all she could think of."
B.J. opened the mysterious envelope. Several folders, a few sealed envelopes and a single thick form cascaded to the tabletop. He opened the folded form, it turned out to be quite long. Reading the title he stood up. "A Deed?" he asked, "But, well I have this apartment already."
Closing her briefcase the lawyer smiled, "Oh, I think you'll find that this is a bit more than an apartment" she replied, then giggled. "It's to a planet actually" she commented. She straightened her suit and picked up her briefcase.
B.J. nodded, "I'd assume so, since it starts out with spacial coordinates. Still, what's this all about?"
"I'm afraid I've been instructed not to tell you that. It seems out client... well, probably owner I strongly suspect, wanted you to find out for yourself." Stepping to the door she looked back at the intrigued rabbit. "I think you'll find everything is in order" she said, then opened the door and left.
B.J. sat back down, almost unaware that the other had left. He had just figured out what the deed was for. It was for a planet, the entire planet, with its attendant three moons. Stunned he read the particulars. Among the mass of data that informed him the planet was no longer inhabited, the native species having vanished some two thousand years ago during a rather bloody interplanetary war, but the surface gravity, atmospheric pressure, and all other environments were near those of his home world, even if it did orbit one member of a Binary star system.
As he opened the last fold of the deed a small card fell into his lap. Picking it up he noticed a familiar symbol, a stylized star, a diamond within its flames. Unfolding the card he read;
"I'm really sorry I can't make the wedding. I've a couple of projects going and well, if I leave either one long enough to attend I'll have to start months of work over. I wish you both a long and happy life, I hope you like the planet, it was the least I could do for the man who saved my life.
Snowaters.'"
Setting down the packet he went in to wake up the love of his life, inform her that they were the proud owners of a habitual planet, and that Snowaters wouldn't be making the wedding. He wondered if that was bad luck on her part, or a warning to the two of them.
As he left the room a small yellow paper blew off the table, fluttered through the air, and settled snugly under the couch. Printed in bold letters was the following;
[WARNING: Planetary surface is dotted with several thousand stone arches in various levels of decay. Many radiate a small level of energy of an unknown type and should be considered 'active.' Many of the 'inactive' arches seem to have been blasted by heavy weapons and there are more than a few slightly radioactive, circular lakes where computer projections indicate other arches should be expected. Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to activate these arches.]
B.J. Bunny copyright Karl Myers
NU (24 + 25 Draconis) copyright the Gods
[Position 17312n5513 Constellation Draco. Magnitude 4.95 & 4.98, spectra A5 with unusually strong metallic lines. 120 Light Years from Earth. Pair are 2300 AU apart with luminosity of 11 Suns.]