StarIQ.com's Cosmic Correspondent Kim Rogers-Gallagher has been invited to the planets' secret hangout. She's the first astrologer to enter this starry domain, and reports regularly on her findings there.

Cosmic Café 51:
Venus and Mars Plan a Trip

The battle was over. Venus sat next to Mars at the bar of the Café, one arm linked through his, staring into his eyes. In Aries, she was anything but shy about expressing her feelings—which included passion, especially. I felt a bit awkward after their second or third intimate kiss, and was about to make my excuses, when Mercury skated through the door, all done up in red. Ah, yes. Like Venus, he was wearing his Aries, and apparently feeling just as fiery.

"Hey there, girlfriend! What's shakin'?"

I grinned, and hugged him. Aries planets have always been my favorites, and since I have Mercury in Sag, another fire sign, it was clear communication would be fast and easy. He hugged me back—quickly, of course, as per Aries' total lack of patience—and then skated off into the kitchen. "I'm starved! You hungry?"

Before I had a chance to answer, he was gone, and I was once again left with Venus and Mars. Mars disengaged from Venus for a moment, and winked at her. "So, my darlin', if you're willing to forgive me for forgetting your big day, I think I might have a solution."

Venus was immediately excited—another distinctly Aries trait. "What? What? What are we gonna do, honey? Tell me!"

With that, he pulled two tickets from his pocket, and handed them to her. She clapped her hands together and giggled. "Oh, boy! Where are we going, babe?"

I have to admit he looked rather smug and pompous—a distinctly Sagittarian trait. Still, the natural trine between them had given him an opportunity to quell her anger, and he was taking full advantage of it. He crossed his arms over his substantial belly, and grinned. "How about a nice cruise to Key West?" he answered. "Maybe we'll have dinner on the beach. Would that be grounds for you to forgive me?" Ah, yes. If anyone was good at honesty—even involving their own faults—it was Sag planets.

It worked. She leaped off the stool and hugged him. "Oh, babe, that would be great!" she said, delightedly. "When can we go?"

"Well," he said, "the game is tomorrow night, but I can take off immediately after. How about we catch a red-eye down there and start with a late-night breakfast?"

Venus was tickled—absolutely tickled. "Yes! Yes! That's perfect! Oh, you're so thoughtful! You know how much I love hot weather!" Mars in Sag, a mutable sign who loved to travel, had managed to negotiate a compromise that would make them both happy.

"Well, let's get you home to pack, then, honey-bunny," he said, standing.

Mercury emerged from the kitchen just then, carrying a huge plate of steaming pasta in one hand, and a bottle of hot sauce in the other. How appropriate for an Aries planet—of course he'd want his food to be extra spicy. Aries rules adrenaline, and there's no quicker way to get those endorphins moving than by eating hot and spicy food. "Anybody want some?" he asked.

"No way!" Venus answered. "I'm dieting! I'm going on vacation with my honey!" The two stood and were about to leave when the Café door opened. A tall man in a military uniform came in. It was Saturn, and as usual he wasn't smiling.

"Not so fast, my friends," he said. "I want to talk to all of you—right now."

Venus sat back down on her bar stool, looking like a chastised schoolgirl. Mercury placed the plate of pasta on the bar and sat down too. Even Mars, who had chased the old naysayer Saturn out last time he'd seen him, stood behind Venus, his arms crossed. And he was looking extremely serious for a planet in light-hearted Sag, the kind of sign that can always see the humor in any situation. As for me, I stared down at my drink, and couldn't help but notice how quiet the atmosphere in the Café had suddenly gotten.

Saturn cleared his throat. "It has come to my attention that as of right now, I'm the only planet in earth. The rest of you are in fire and air."

I wondered what Saturn could possibly say to the others that would tamp down their natural enthusiasm. Everyone else in the heavens was, indeed, in lively fire and air signs, so duty and responsibility were last on their lists. How were they going to handle this? Wasn't Saturn outvoted? Or was he that powerful?

I was about to see an example of how trines and sextiles really work. I held my breath, and listened.

Next Week: Will Saturn overshadow all the planets' enthusiasm?