Chapter 10
T’raat
Since Leigh’s body was still weak after I pleasured her, I carried her down the ladder and across the farm back to her room, keeping to the shadows to avoid detection by her aunt. I wished to remain with her, but Leigh insisted that I return to the barn until she instructed me otherwise. The thought of leaving her alone to, as she put it, “face the music,” troubled me, but I did as I was instructed.
The wait for said instructions was long and maddening. I fretted constantly, pacing back and forth in the loft while Leigh and her father faced unknown punishment for my presence on the farm.
After half a time unit, footsteps drew my attention to the window of the loft. I looked out the window and saw half a dozen men and women following Harrison as he walked towards the barn. Leigh was not among them, and I worried for her safety. A woman favoring Harrison walked next to him. Her stance and posture spoke of leadership and her uniform had many medals and decorations on it. I presumed her to be his sister, Ann.
The director of the AARO.
I descended the ladder and stood by the barn door, ready to accept whatever punishment she deemed necessary given my crimes. I should have gone to her intake center upon my arrival, should have followed proper Earth protocol, but I had been so smitten with Leigh that I let my emotions rule my actions. Now Leigh might be in trouble, and it was all my fault.
As the group approached, their words drifted to my ears. I strained to hear.
“… disappointed in you, Harry. You know better than to hide something like this.”
“He’s harmless, Ann. Poor guy just wanted to see what Earth was like. Can you blame him? Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing in his position.”
“That’s just the thing: I’m not in his position. I’m in my position, and my position dictates that he should have come straight to the intake center once he arrived.” The footsteps paused just outside the door, and the handle rattled as it began to slide open.
Ann’s gaze met mine as the door creaked open, and I was relieved to see compassion there.
“T’raat, I presume?” She extended a hand in greeting, and I shook it with my own. “Director Ann Hall, United States All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office. You’ve caused a bit of a stir here, sir.”
“Apologies, Director. It was not my intent.” I paused. “How did you find me?”
A wry grin spread on her face as she held up a small Xalanite device. “You didn’t really think they’d let you leave Xalan without a way to track you, did you? Besides, word travels fast here on Earth, especially when a large object lands on a remote Wisconsin farm. Your ship’s impact was viewed from miles away by several locals, and since Harry’s my brother, they knew who to contact.”
I felt foolish for believing my arrival to be a secret.
“Although,” she continued, “it would have been nice if Harry had warned me. I’m choosing to chalk it up to the fact that I nearly died this past summer, so he didn’t want to stress me out.”
Harrison grunted. “Well, if you’re not going to arrest me, Ann, I’d appreciate it if I could go back to bed. Cows ain’t gonna milk themselves in the morning, y’know.”
“I thought that was my niece’s job.”
He looked back down the road, and I followed his gaze. Shock struck me as I caught sight of Leigh running towards the barn, carrying a strange rectangular bag that was stuffed so full it virtually hemorrhaged clothing.
“Something tells me Leigh’s got other plans,” Harrison grumbled.
Director Ann glanced back and forth from Leigh to myself, then groaned. “Please tell me you two haven’t …”
I did not understand her meaning. What were we not to have done?
Harrison snorted. “I overheard Leigh saying something about a three-date rule to him. He hasn’t been here long enough for that, so I think you’re safe, sis.”
Oh! Once he mentioned the rule, I understood. “Let me reassure you, Director Ann. Leigh and I have not mated. We have done many things, but we have not mated. She has informed me of your Earth tradition of three dates prior to mating, and I have honored this tradition.” I grinned proudly, but the director just groaned again.
“Xalanites and their hormones, I swear …” She shook her head. “At least Leigh was smart enough to make him wait. I’ve witnessed a few of these Xalanite-human pairings, Harry, and once they’re mate-bonded, that’s it. There’s no separating them.”
“You don’t mean—” Harrison’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
“Yeah, I do. We might have caught it in time, but if not, we’re going to have a Xalanite for an in-law.”
Her words confused me. My nanites did not have time to process all of their meanings. I frowned, frustrated.
Before I could ask her to clarify, Leigh stumbled in her flight. I pushed past the director and ran to her side. “Leigh! Are you all right?” I checked her over, searching for signs of injury from the fall. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” she stated, but I noted that her pale skin had taken on a bright pink hue.
“Your skin is flushed,” I said. “Are you certain you are all right?”
She took my hand and used my weight as a counterbalance to help pull herself up. “I’m just embarrassed that I fell in front of everyone.”
I picked up her bag and handed it to her. “Why were you carrying this?”
Leigh’s jaw set, and she straightened her slim shoulders. “I’m coming with you. If they make you leave the farm, then I’ll go wherever they send you.”
The director crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “Leigh, be reasonable. You can’t just up and leave everything to follow T’raat across the country. What if his people send him home? What will you do then?”
“Then I guess I’m going to Xalan.”
Harrison’s face reddened, and when he spoke, his words were laced with venom. “No daughter of mine is going to leave this planet! I’ve tolerated this crush of yours long enough, but you’re taking it too far. It’s high time I put my foot down.”
A thousand different meanings swam through my head as I tried to sort his intent from his words. Crush meant something different in this context, as did putting his foot down. He did not intend the literal meanings of these words and phrases, so it took my nanites longer to derive his true meaning. Once I finally understood, my own ire grew. I scowled at Harrison and stepped between him and Leigh. “She is an adult by your planet’s account. Your wants do not matter anymore, Harrison.”
He stammered and sputtered, but I did not give him time to retort.
“You may have tired of her ‘crush,’ but I tire of your meddling in her life. Neither you nor Director Ann have any say in her choices now. If she wishes to join me, whether it be here on Earth or back on Xalan, that is up to Leigh.”
Harrison moved towards me with his hands curled into fists, but Director Ann stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “He’s got a point, Harry. We’ve forgotten that Leigh’s grown up now.”
“She’s still my daughter!”
“Your adult daughter, Harry.” Director Ann turned to me, and her expression softened. “But you realize that, don’t you, T’raat? You’ve seen her as an adult from the start.”
I nodded. “Yes. She is grown by Earth standards.”
“Well, this just got a whole lot more complicated, then.” The director sighed. “I’ve been ordered to bring you back to the intake center, so the Xalanites can send emissaries to convince you to come home. Your king wants his pilot back, but I guess now we’ve got to consider Leigh in the grand scheme of things. That means arranging extra security for her, another cabin at the center … This bureaucratic nightmare is only beginning.”
“Why do I need my own cabin?” Leigh asked. She put her hands on her round hips. “I’m perfectly capable of sharing with T’raat.”
“Yes. And I am all the security she needs,” I assured. “I will not allow harm to come to her.”
“I don’t doubt that, T’raat, but it’s policy. We’ve got to consider Leigh’s wishes in this, yes, but we also have to follow protocol. That dictates guards for both of you, and separate lodgings … for now, at least. I made that mistake once before, and it ended with the first human-Xalanite hybrid pregnancy. I’m still catching flack for that.”
I paused. “A pregnancy is a good thing, yes? New life.”
Director Ann pinched the bridge of her nose. “Our two species weren’t ready for that yet. We don’t even know if it’s viable. It could result in heartache for everyone involved.”
Leigh blanched and wavered on her feet. I put a hand on her back to steady her. “Our child will be viable. I am certain.” I frowned at the director. “You should not frighten her with suppositions. There is no reason to doubt our species’ compatibility. Xalanite physiology does not often allow attraction where there is not compatibility. If you would consult a Xalanite physician, you would know this.”
“She’s still my niece. I’d be a terrible aunt if I didn’t prepare her for the possibility.”
“This is too much.” Harrison threw his hands in the air and stormed off, muttering about pregnancies and bonds in a scathing tone.
“Dad, wait—” Leigh reached for him, but he moved too fast to be caught. The AARO agents accompanying us let him pass without interfering, their faces running the gamut of expressions from shock to discomfort to sympathy. None had spoken during the exchange, though I noted that at least one agent seemed particularly disturbed by it all. She was young, somewhere between Ann and Leigh’s ages by the look of her, with short red hair and green eyes. I vowed to get her separated from the others to question her on it, as she seemed most likely to talk.
Leigh’s eyes became wet, and moisture dripped from them. “He didn’t even say goodbye …”