Chapter 10 #2
The shuttle rocked gently as it touched down.
The pilot didn't turn off the engine, instead he waited. He wasn’t going to disembark, just fly the shuttle back to the starship.
But he had to wait to make sure that everyone was safe before doing so.
Tuvo was operating the security scanner that had been added to the shuttle’s defenses.
It wouldn’t work for every possible threat, but it could identify a lot of bigger ones – including possible explosives, common toxins and poisons, and large weapons.
“Can they see us?” Hattie asked, peeking through the front window.
“They cannot,” Survii assured her, getting to his feet. “Feel free to make funny faces.”
Alanna sent him a grin as Hattie laughed, and the sight warmed him in the chest down to his toes. He had pleased his female.
A female. Krik.
Peony was near the door, practically vibrating with excitement.
She had left Viktor with Tilii on the Jutiron Stor out of an abundance of caution.
She didn't want to bring her son to the planet’s surface until she knew it was safe for him.
She and Atem would be the first to walk out of the shuttle.
The first aliens on Earth – who had been invited and had not secreted in to steal females – was a large moment and they wanted to make sure it was a worthy male who took that honor.
Alanna and Survii would follow, then the others after them. Since the others were all mated, Tuvo had to escort Hattie. Something that made his tail stiff as she waited near Holly for him to finish his security sweep – both of them pretending very hard not to be awkward.
“Area clear,” Tuvo announced, standing straight. “There are small, projectile based weapons being carried by what I assume to be the security team, based on the perimeter they established. And electric based weapons carried by others, but that is all.”
“Shall we then?” Atem asked, looking at Peony.
She beamed as she took his arm.
That was the only warning Survii received before Alanna did the same to him. Her soft hands taking hold of the limb made him wish he had chosen to wear something sleeveless like Atem. He craved her touch like he craved the next breath.
Then, the door hissed as it opened. The scent of Earth rushed inside – bright and foreign. It was unspeakably quiet as the ramp extended down while the doors pulled upward. Sunlight caressed their faces as the distinct, high-pitched call of an animal rang out.
Atem and Peony descended the ramp together.
Survii guided Alanna forward, following behind.
The grass beneath his feet was so vibrantly green.
Carefully trimmed and controlled, but healthy and colorful.
It crunched under his boots as he came up to flank Atem and Peony on one side – Tuvo and Hattie moved to his other.
Scarlet, Havali, Holly, and Romival stayed just behind them.
All around, the humans were staring. Stunned. As though they really hadn’t been ready for the presence of alien life, despite all they had done to warn them.
Ahead of them, two figures broke off from the rest and walked their way.
He recognized both Alanna’s uncle and the human representative – Halvdan.
Both of them walked confidently, heads held high, the latter using one hand to keep his suit top from flapping around the breeze.
The representative was looking around at the aliens, carefully concealed unease in his eyes as he considered the much larger males before him.
The females had told him that human males weren’t much different from human females, only being taller on average, but he really had expected…
more. They were so small. So soft. And while the latter could be ascribed to the elder status of some, it couldn’t be granted to all.
None of these human males before him looked capable of defending their females.
It was a good thing they were here. These humans wouldn’t be able to stand against any concentrated effort from other species to take their females by force.
His disparaging thoughts meant he almost didn't notice that Alanna’s uncle – John – wasn’t looking at them at all. His entire focus was on Alanna. He couldn’t miss it though when, on his arm, she called out in her language before releasing him to run forward.
The older male opened his arms as she threw herself into them.
He embraced her tightly. Squeezing so hard, his arms were shaking.
Alanna sniffed, tears in her eyes. The sight was a fierce reminder that bringing his female home was just as important to him, on a personal level, as making Earth a protectorate.
The male was saying something to her, and she was rapidly nodding her head. Something he knew meant yes after studying the human terms and gestures information Romival had sent.
Their group caught up and stopped in front of him. John lifted his head without releasing Alanna and looked directly at Atem. He then said one of the phrases also included in the language data.
“Thank you.”