Chapter 5
5
T he viewport's edge bit into Eira's palms as she made room for the kids. Leo and Kyle pressed against the reinforced plasteel, fogging it with their breath as Earth hung before them like a massive gem. The sight hit her harder than she'd expected.
"Look, Gracie!" Kyle smudged the viewport with eager fingers. "See the clouds? And that's real ocean down there, not the recycled stuff!"
Grace crept closer to the window, her small hand tight in Eira's. "Is it pretty, Mommy?" she whispered.
"It is, sweetheart. It's beautiful." Eira smoothed her daughter's hair, the softness of it a contrast to her work-roughened hands. Earth filled the view below, its swirling clouds relaxing and hypnotic.
The shuttle's engines hummed through the deck plates, cleaner than the grinding equipment she'd gotten used to over the years. She'd positioned them at this viewport early. Her children deserved one clear view of Earth before the station swallowed them up.
Stepping back, she watched them lean closer. Leo's shoulders strained his jacket seams. When had he grown so much? The fabric needed reinforcing, but her repair kit was packed away. If they still had time before...
"Mom?" Kyle turned suddenly, his eyes bright. "Have you been there? Did you see Earth before?"
The question hit like a cave-in, breaking loose memories she'd sealed away. The endless marble halls... the servants watching every move of the grubby colony child suddenly in their mausoleum of a house. And the ringing echo of her grandmother's voice: "Really, dear, you must learn to sit properly. And do something about that accent. You sound like a docker."
Kyle's expression shifted to worry, and she realized she'd been quiet too long.
"Yes," she said, forcing a bright smile. "It was a long time ago... when I was about your age."
"What was it like?" he pressed. "Did you do anything cool?"
"It was... different," she said. "I stayed with my dad's parents. He was Earth-born, came to the colony when he was an adult. But he grew up on Earth. Their house had its own garden, it even had a fountain." The water's music had been so different from the constant hiss of recyclers. "I remember the sunlight and the smell of flowers the most."
"Did you play there, Mommy?" Grace tugged her sleeve.
Eira crouched down, knees protesting. She brushed Grace's hair back while she filtered the truth about endless etiquette lessons and supervised walks where she couldn't touch anything.
"I watched the butterflies in the garden," she said. That much was true; she'd spent hours studying them, imagining wings of her own.
"Butterflies?" Grace perked up. "Can we go and see them?"
"Maybe one day." The lie was bitter on her tongue, but she kept smiling. Her grandparents had never liked her or her mother, and they had to be long dead now.
The engine pitch changed, and she glanced back at the viewport. Earth filled the whole thing now; coastlines curving, storms spiraling, and city lights glittering like ore seams against the darkness cast by night. It was beautiful and huge. Far bigger than she remembered. Their entire colony wouldn't even show as a speck from up here.
Her back complained as she straightened. The status display above the door counted down their arrival. Her stomach clenched at the sight, but she kept her shoulders back. Doubt killed as surely as bad air when you had three lives counting on you.
She watched the kids at the viewport, letting herself feel the full weight of what she'd done. Left the colony. Left James's memory. Agreed to marry some unknown alien... but only for a moment. Then she locked it all away. Her children needed her steady.
"Look!" Grace squealed. "It's getting bigger!"
The station grew in the view, Earth slipping away as they banked, despite Kyle and Leo's protests.
"But I want to see more!" Kyle left fresh smudges trying to track the planet.
"Look over there instead." Leo pointed, excitement breaking through his exhaustion. "Those ships! They're huge!"
Warships hung in the station's shadow, sleek and deadly. They were nothing like the battered haulers she was used to seeing. There were no cargo doors or loading zones, just weapon ports and cannon arrays that sent a chill over her skin.
Space disappeared behind them, replaced by metal walls and harsh lighting, and the shuttle shuddered as it entered the bay. Grace whimpered, pressing closer to Eira. It felt like they were being swallowed up whole.
Taaven emerged from the cockpit, seven feet of Latharian warrior in combat gear. His gaze swept over them. "Station security is waiting," he said, his gravelly voice more familiar after the days they'd been traveling. "We’ll take you through to processing. Your belongings will be transferred to your assigned accommodations."
She nodded and stood, Grace clinging to her leg. Their two trunks sat secured in the cargo netting behind her.
They followed the warriors down the boarding ramp and took their first breaths of station air. It was sharp with cleaners and had an odd metallic scent, totally different from the mineral tang of home. Grace buried her face against Eira again, obviously overwhelmed by the echoing space.
The bay stretched overhead like a perfect cavern, too polished, too clean. Strange ships sat in their berths as they passed. Leo and Kyle stared up despite their exhaustion.
A group of well-dressed women watched them approach the checkpoint at the end of the cavernous bay, their expressions of curiosity turning to disgust.
"...desperate enough to sign up for the mate program..."
"...bringing children into it..."
"...colony trash..."
Eira kept her back straight and her gaze fixed ahead, not looking left or right. Each whispered word hit like a bullet, but she refused to let it show. This was about survival. About better odds than struggling for air and medicine every day.
"Mom?" Kyle's voice wavered. "Why are they looking at us?"
"Because they don't understand," she said quietly. "Ignore them. Don’t look."
Daas and Taaven, their pilots, moved to flank them. They didn't speak, but their stance made a clear barrier.
Grace's breathing hitched, too young to understand but feeling the pressure. Eira lifted her up onto her hip, letting her hide like she used to during dust storms.
"This way." Daas gestured to a side corridor. "Less traffic."
The warriors cleared their path with the smooth efficiency of a rescue crew. Even across the species gap, their support felt solid as good rock.
She kept moving, each step taking them further into the belly of the beast where she’d have to marry an alien. Leo matched her straight back, Kyle stayed close to his brother, and Grace stayed hidden against her shoulder.
Lifting her chin, she walked.
There was no choice but forward now.
Their pilots led them right through the station and to the doors of the LMP offices. Eira smiled at them as they disappeared back down the corridor, then pushed the door open. The huge reception stretched before them like something out of a science fiction movie, all gleaming surfaces and recessed lighting that made the walls glow.
Through the windows, she caught glimpses of clinical rooms filled with equipment that looked more like art installations than medical devices. Her heart stuttered in her chest. What had she gotten her children into? But there was no going back now… the stack of paperwork she'd signed on the colony had seen to that. She hadn't even known that many legal terms existed.
Her fingers tightened around Grace’s hand as they approached the reception desk, where a human woman in a crisp uniform stood waiting.
"Welcome to the Latharian Mate Program." The receptionist's professional smile didn't waver as she looked up from her screen. "You must be Eira Coleman and family?”
"Yes, that's right." Eira's gaze flicked to the corridor behind the reception area. There were so many doors...
"Perfect. We’ve been expecting you. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to our nursery first. Then we can get started on your intake appointment with Lead Technician S'aad." The receptionist stepped out from behind her desk and led them down the hallway. "The nursery here is our pride and joy. We understand that human children are going to need to interact with other species in the future, so we’ve created spaces for all species and age groups."
The nursery door whispered open at their approach, releasing a wave of warmth and the sound of children's laughter. Bright murals decorated the walls—scenes of space and distant worlds that seemed to shimmer and move when viewed from different angles. Her eyes widened as she looked around. Toys of all descriptions filled neat bins in groups, and in the center of the room, several children played under the watchful eyes of the nursery staff.
To one side, a raised platform held a lounge area, complete with comfortable seating, study spaces, and entertainment screens. A few human teenagers were already there, keeping watch over their younger brothers and sisters while still having their own space to relax. There was even one non-human, a tall girl with grey skin and tiny little horns nestled in the middle of her silver hair.
Leo perked up. “This is pretty cool," he murmured, though his hand stayed steady on Grace's shoulder.
"The teen area is equipped with study materials if you need them," the receptionist explained to Leo. "And the viewing angle gives you clear sight of the whole nursery."
Kyle's hand slipped from Eira's as he gravitated toward a collection of blocks that glowed when touched. The caretaker nearest to him smiled, her movements careful and unhurried as she knelt to show him how they changed colors when stacked.
"Mom, it's okay." Leo murmured. "I can see everything from up there. I’ll keep an eye on them.”
Eira swallowed hard, watching Grace edge closer to a small girl with a large dragon toy. "You're sure?"
"Yeah. Go do what you need to do." Leo squeezed her hand before heading up to the teen area, positioning himself where he could watch both his siblings easily, and closer to the alien girl than the other teenagers.
The receptionist waited until Eira had taken one last look at her children before guiding her back into the hallway. The walk seemed endless, each step echoing. Shit. She was really doing this. Really marrying an alien. Her stomach churned, but the thought of Kyle's medical bills steadied her nerves. Sometimes being a mother meant doing the hard thing, the scary thing. And those bills wouldn't pay themselves, and being part of the mate program meant medical care. She’d checked, and Latharian medicine was supposed to be the best in the new galaxy humanity found itself a part of now.
"Now for your intake medical," she said. "I know it's a big step, but remember you're doing this for them."
Eira looked at her sharply. The other woman smiled. “You’re not the only mother doing this for her children. It’s one of the main reasons our candidates sign up. And…” She leaned in closer. “If I’m honest, Latharian men make excellent fathers.”
Eira blinked, surprise rolling through her. “Even to kids who aren’t theirs?”
“ Especially with kids who aren’t theirs. It’s seen as a mark of honor for a warrior to be able to protect a family. More kids, more honor. You have three… they’ll be falling over themselves for a chance to court you!”
Yeah, right. She wasn’t so sure of that. What man would want a woman with three kids who had spent a hard life on a mining colony? Perhaps she’d luck out and one of them was blind and didn’t want her to cook…
Her hands shook as the woman took her into a room then left her alone. It was larger than she'd expected, with walls that seemed to pulse with a gentle, ambient light. A sleek examination bed dominated the center, its surface smooth and warm to the touch when she perched on its edge. Medical displays flickered in the air around her, their alien script dancing and rearranging itself in patterns she couldn't follow.
The door slid open with a soft hiss.
"Good morning, Lady Coleman." The Latharian who entered moved with precise grace, his tall frame carrying an air of quiet authority despite his young features. "I'm Lead Technician S'aad V’Renn and I'll be handling your mate program intake today. How are you feeling?"
His smile was warm beneath its professional exterior as he activated a floating screen with a practiced gesture. She studied him from under her lashes while he was busy. He had sandy hair pulled back in a neat tail that emphasized his angular features and, oddly, wore a white coat over his leather uniform.
"Nervous," she admitted, watching as he called up what appeared to be a medical file with efficient movements. She assumed it was hers, but how had he gotten it? "But determined."
"That's perfectly understandable." He nodded. "The mate program can seem overwhelming at first, but I promise we'll take things one step at a time. Shall we begin with your medical assessment?"
As he worked, she noticed the intricate patterns that wrapped around his wrists, visible when his sleeves shifted. They were like tattoos of vines, the details so fine they seemed to shift and move in the room's ambient light.
He caught her looking and held out his arm with quiet pride so she could take a closer look.
"My mating marks," he explained, his professional demeanor warming. "They appeared when I bonded with my Jade. She's human, like yourself. I was blessed to find her. True mates have become quite rare for the Lathar. We are blessed to be finding them among humanity.”
"They're beautiful," she said softly. “Are they tattoos?"
"A common question, but they're not. They're biological in nature." S'aad's expression grew thoughtful as he prepared what looked like a medical scanner and ran it over her, not touching her. "Each warrior's marks are unique to their bond, but few are lucky enough to receive them these days. Finding a true mate..." He shook his head slightly. "Well, let's focus on your intake for now."
The scanner hummed as it passed over her.
"Your readings are clear," he announced, studying the holographic display. “Which is perfect. Now, I'll administer two dermal patches. The first contains a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which is standard procedure for all new arrivals. We don’t want you to get sick with alien bugs,” he added with a quick smile. “And the second holds your translation matrix."
"But I can understand you perfectly," she frowned, watching as he prepared the patches. “Why do I need this… matrix?”
"That's due to my healer’s matrix." He tapped his temple with one finger. “It’s a more comprehensive version required for my position. Your matrix will allow you to understand all species aboard the station who use Imperial Standard or related languages. May I?”
She nodded and tilted her head so he could put the patches on. He was so gentle, she barely felt him touch her, biting her lip as she felt them dissolve with a faint tingle. By the time she put her hand up to her neck, they were gone. No trace of their presence left.
“The matrix can take between 6 and 12 hours to settle into place, but after that, you should be able to understand Latharian and most of the galactic common languages,” he told her.
She nodded, then her thoughts turned to Kyle. "What about medical care for my children?” she asked worriedly. “Kyle especially. He needs regular monitoring and all the paperwork on the mate program said that medical care for dependants was covered.”
She needed it to be covered.
“Hold on, I’ll just check.” He typed something else into his console and a new file showed on screen. It was in an alien language, so she couldn’t tell what it said. "Ah, yes. I see here that appointments have already been scheduled for all your children with Healer V'Raav following this intake.” S’aad smiled as he turned back to her.
“You’re in luck. V’Raav is one of the empire's most accomplished healers, particularly in pediatric care." He paused, and then something like pride entered his voice. "Healer V'Raav has declined multiple positions at the imperial palace to continue his work here on Devan Station."
A small knot of tension loosened in her chest. "He specializes in children?"
"Indeed. The health and well-being of all children, both human and Latharian, are sacred to us. And V’Raav believes his skills are better utilized helping children than attending to warriors who, in his words, 'behave with less maturity than the offspring they hope to have one day.’” S'aad's professional mask slipped just enough to show genuine conviction. "Your offspring will receive the finest care available in the empire."
He made a final notation on his display before turning back to her. "The intake portion is complete. Sarah will escort you and your children to the medical bay…” He pressed a small communication device on his wrist. "Sarah? Lady Coleman is ready for escort to the healer's bay."
A young woman in an LMP uniform appeared in the doorway moments later. "Ready to collect your children, Lady Coleman? The healer's bay is just a short walk from here."
Back in the nursery, Kyle proudly showed off his spiral of glowing blocks while Grace chattered about her new friend with the red dragon toy. Leo descended from the teen area, gathering their things with practiced efficiency.
“Where are we going now?" Kyle asked, his small face serious.
“We’re going to see a doctor, sweetheart." She smoothed his hair. "Remember how we talked about the special doctors here who might be able to help you feel better? We're going to meet one of them now."
"Will it hurt?" Grace pressed closer to Leo's side.
"Healer V'Raav is very gentle with children," Sarah assured them as she guided them toward the door. "And he has all sorts of interesting things in his office to look at while he works. Would you like to hear about the little fish that swim in the lights on his walls?"
“Fish in lights?”
“Yes, they’re so pretty…”
Eira tuned the conversation out as they followed Sarah toward the medical bay. One step at a time, she reminded herself. Get the children's health sorted first. Everything else—including whatever warrior they might match her with—could wait.