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 inmyposition, 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 remoteWisconsin 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 ifHarryhad 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.”
