The Lehiroh looked up, startled. He noticed Sister Marietta, but realized the voder had addressed him. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Krinata moved up beside Rrrelloleh. She glanced all about for any sign of the Rashions, and saw they were alone on the residential street, just a few cars passing. "This is Jindigar, but he's emulating a Lehrtrili called Rrrelloleh."

Storm's gaze rivetted on the beady eyes. After a moment, it was clear he didn't believe it. And he thought his life was forfeit. "I surrender. No need for entrapment. I invited a Dushau to my wedding. Don't blame the others."

Rrrelloleh looked down at Sister Marietta. Then, to the Lehiroh, he twittered, "Arlai's work is always superlative."

Again Storm inspected the Lehrtrili. "I don't believe you. Jindigar is dead. All of Kamminth's is dead."

"I'm glad that rumor is still about, but I doubt it's believed in the highest official circles. Must we stand about on the street?" twittered Rrrelloleh, strictly in character. The wings fluttered, feathers rustling.

But something penetrated Storm's armor. "By the sandpits, it is you!" His eyes wide, he raked Sister Marietta with a glance.

Rrrelloleh trilled, "For the moment, this is Sister Marietta, who accompanies this rich and eccentric Lehrtrili to care for his uncertain health. At my insistence, we have stopped because we recognize your dress, and wish to invite ourselves to your wedding. Afterward, we may have an interesting proposition for all of you to consider."

Storm shook himself out of his daze and answered, "Afterward ... well, we've all agreed not to allow anything to cloud this day for us." Seeing their curiosity, he added, "I promise I'll tell you all about it, afterward. I just can't believe you're alive. It's got to be a good omen."

"Jindigar is dead until we've passed the Rashions and cleared orbit. But Rrrelloleh would consider it a wonderful privilege to join your wedding. The obligation incurred would not be slighted."

"Oh, I never... I mean, we wouldn't expect you to feel obligated."

"Custom is custom," answered Rrrelloleh. "Self-invitation is a Lehrtrili custom. Yours will also be honored."

Storm surveyed the street as if on a hostile planet. "Come inside, then." In the vestibule, he paused to wind the green ribbon about the outside digit on Rrrelloleh's left hand and then up the arm. "This means you're my guest. I'll get one for Sister Marietta in a moment. Come."

He led them down a winding stair into a large open room. One whole wall was made of sliding windows composed of small, transparent colored squares, heavily draped. Outside the open wall, she could see a courtyard and a large pool where the water was as still as glass. White cup-shaped flowers floated in the pool. Overhead, streamers and flowers in five vibrant colors canopied the room, forest green, yellow, bright blue, red, and rich cinnamon brown.

Lehiroh, dressed in every shade of white, styled from flowing robes and capes to tailored jumpsuits and tunics, filled the room. The only touch of color on the guests was the satin ribbons wound about their left hands and arms which seemed about equally divided among the five prominent colors.

In a moment, Storm returned with a green ribbon for Krinata, and she fretted, "I feel out of place in black."

"Oh, black is perfectly appropriate. We only selected white because Bell's family wanted it." When he'd wound the ribbon properly, asking three times if she was sure she wanted to stay, he led them to a section of the room occupied by people wearing green ribbons.

It was almost high noon, the traditional moment for weddings, so there was little time for them to meet Storm's family. They only caused a momentary stir, and then everyone was intent on taking their places.

Outside, a number of black-clad dignitaries appeared and stationed themselves in a circle on a huge lawn beyond the pool. This was some sort of signal, for everyone inside the room rushed to form up into lines, one line for each color.

It was only then that Krinata saw the other grooms and the bride, for each of them led a line of their kinsmen. The bride, she noted, was dressed all in red without even the white accessories. She vaguely recalled that red denoted the power of the life force for the Ensyvians, and Lehiroh eyes probably didn't see all this as clashing colors.

After flitting about checking on details, Storm came and dragged Rrrelloleh to the head of the green line with him, saying, "This way you won't have to move as fast when the dancing starts."

She took the place behind Rrrelloleh, mulling over this thoughtful comment and feeling more uncertain of herself. But the woman behind her didn't seem to mind being displaced, so Krinata just began scanning those opposite her for cues.

There was a burst of noise, traditional music, and the lines all began moving at once. Luckily she noticed everyone start off on their left foot. The lines wove circles about the pool, then spiraled to come to rest in a giant star formation, the grooms and bride each facing one of the black-clad dignitaries, their relatives in a line behind them.

The house, three stories high, circled the pool area with many windows opening onto it. Each window was jammed with Lehiroh men, women, and children. A deep hush fell as the music and marching stopped.

Krinata tried not to think of the eyes fixed curiously upon her and Rrrelloleh, and listened to the rapid exchange between the black-clad old man and Storm. It was in some archaic Lehiroh language she'd never heard before.

After a vigorous question-and-answer session, repeated between each of the grooms and the bride and their confronter, there was a burst of music, and all the lines moved sideways to their left until they confronted a new questioner, whereupon the exchange was repeated.

The next time, Krinata was ready to move on the burst of music. But she didn't know what to expect after the fifth questioning session. However, it seemed perfectly natural that Storm should change places with the black clad old woman he confronted, so that now she headed their line.

The grooms and bride now formed an inner circle. They each grasped the ribbon of the one next to them, unwinding the ribbons so that they connected the circle. Meanwhile, everyone else did likewise, each joining himself to someone on the left while taking a ribbon from someone on their right. From above it would be a multicolor cartwheel.

On the next burst of music they all circled left, Krinata trying to fake the quick dance step which Rrrelloleh managed well enough. They hadn't made a full circuit before she was wondering how soon it would be polite to drop out.

She was about to ask Rrrelloleh when the music cut off with a squawk, doors flew open all around the courtyard, and Ducal troopers, many with Rashions on leashes, swarmed out to surround the celebrants, weapons lowered. The armored uniforms also appeared on the roof, and behind the people watching from windows.