Alex and Hannah

Part One: In Media Res

With some trepidation, Alex approached the mirror. "Alex Guiness wouldn't be too bad," he thought. "Ewan McGregor would be better." When he looked, however, it was his own familiar face that stared back at him. But wait. Where were his glasses? "I guess Jedi don't need glasses." Before, without them, Alex functioned at about the white cane level. Now, he couldn't even remember when he lost them.

"How long has it been?" he glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Ninety minutes, an hour and a half and Hannah was not there! Dread crept back into his heart. Surely the hotel room would be the logical place to come to. She was a creature of logic now, wasn't she? There were two other costumes. What were they? He didn't think to ask. It wasn't important then, it was all too vital now.

There was nothing for it but to find her. First, he wrote a note telling her to stay put, if she came while he was gone. Next, he needed to get out of his Jedi garb, no sense in setting off another Sith Lord. He stripped and put on jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. He had just stood-up when things began to change. The sneakers climbed his ankles and became boots, the jeans turned white and the t-shirt expanded into a kind of kimono, also white. "Curiouser and curiouser," he said aloud. "We're really down the rabbit-hole now." He headed for the door. "No time to quarrel with it. I'll have to go as is."

He turned the door-handle, but found he couldn't leave. There was nothing wrong with the door, he just couldn't leave. "Now what! . . . Oh, right." He extended his hand, the light-saber lying on the bed lept into it. "I'll probably need that anyway."

Part Two: A First Step Into a Larger World

Alex met Hannah through Central Florida University's Sci-Fi and Fantasy gamers' club when they were both juniors. He was a local boy, she was from North Carolina. They had a lot more in common than just their tastes in gaming, literature and movies. So while it wasn't quite love at first sight, it was pretty close. A month after graduation, he gave her a ring. The date was set for the following Spring.

Neither had really gotten into the costuming aspect of their interests, so when the heavy costume emphasis of this years Kubla con was announced they did not make any plans in that direction. They were both going of course. Alex had not missed a Kubla con since he was a pre-teen. Hannah, this year, was going as an employee of Darknight Books, a fantasy and sci-fi publishing house.

Because of financial support from from Eric Winters and some others, the con was expected to be much bigger than previous years. Todd Grimes, Darknight's owner, expected to sell more books and gaming material there that weekend than Christmas. He intended, therefore, to make a large presence. Hannah would leave a day early to help set up.

Alex never quite knew why, but almost at the last minute, he decided to go in costume afterall. He figured he already had the basics for a sort of generic Jedi knight, and began rummaging through closets. For the base, he found an old black t-shirt and matching sweat-pants; next, an old pair of boots from the garage; a leather belt; and a tan kimono from when he had a brief interest in learning Kendo. To top it off, he found an old, brown bath-robe that had a hood and came down almost to his feet. He put it all together and looked in the bathroom mirror. "Well, I'll be winning no prizes, but from a distance, the effect ain't too bad," he thought. There was still something missing, then he remembered. He dug through some boxes in the garage untill he found a short length of PVC pipe and some electronic bits. Then, in his garage, with some duct tape and super glue, he constructed his own lightsaber.

"This ought to suprise Hannah," he thought while in front of the mirror again. This time with the 'lightsaber' tucked under his belt. Since he was running late, and to experience what an old SCA friend had called 'freaking the mundanes', he kept the costume on for the 45 minute drive to Orlando. He got some odd looks while getting gas at the Jiffy-Mart, but rather enjoyed it. He smiled and waved at some kids while thinking. "This is not the Chevy Malibu you're looking for."

Alex was completely unprepared for the sheer size of the new and enhanced Kubla con. It was a long walk from where he had to park to the hotel, and an even longer wait to get his room key. He sighed as he flopped down on the bed. He considered leaving the bathrobe behind. Even in November, Orlando was a bit hot for his get-up. But he decided to go for the whole effect in suprising Hannah. So, after a quick shower, he redressed in the full Jedi ensamble and left for the convention hall.

He was in for some additional scale-shock when he entered the main hall. "There must be more than ten thousand people here!" he thought. And what people! There must have been costumes and uniforms for characters from every genre and myth known to mankind. There were Klingons, Spartans (both Halo and Greek), Elves, Goblins, Sith and Jedi. There were Vulcans (or were they Romulans), wizards, dryads and "Isn't he a bit short for Darth Vader".

"Alex!" That was his fiance's voice. He looked around. "Over here!" Not five feet away was a female Vulcan with a Star Fleet officer's uniform, from circa Wrath of Khan. A female Vulcan with Hannah's face.

"Sweetie! I could of walked right past you!"

"You did, about five seconds ago. Cool costume! Did you do that yourself? Is that terry cloth?"

"Just something I threw together at the last minute to suprise you. Speaking of surprise."

"You mean this?" she pointed at herself and laughed. "Todd decided all the employees should get with the theme. It's a professional job, his treat."

"I'll say! Those are the best looking Vulcan ears I've seen. Even from here, I can't see the join."

"You'd best admire while you can. I have two more costume changes before the evening's over. You heading for the Darknight booths? You have to see Todd. He makes an awesome ringwraith."

"At 6 foot five, I'll bet he is," thought Alex. "Not yet," he said. "I wanted to see the award presentations. You want to come with me?"

"Can't, I'm on break and..." she looked at her watch. "I'm due back to help at the register."