“Ahh, welcome!”they greeted us in musical tones.“You must be Ziggy and Micah Andromeda.”
Oh.
My.
God.
MICAH ANDROMEDA!!!
“That’s us!” I enthusiastically replied in the trade language.
Ziggy choked on air, but then he somehow slammed his emotions shut before I could get a read on them.
You can’t escape destiny, Space Daddy.
We’re already space fiancés—no take backsies.
“How is Pedro?” I blurted out, since there was something I was currently more invested in than our marital status. “Can we see them?”
Luckily, the Stellarian didn’t seem offended by my pushiness.“Of course! We have already taken a fur sample and conducted a basic physical exam but were then told you insisted on being present before we drew blood.”
Drew blood?!
Oh, right.
For testing.
Irrational worry still had me anxiously wringing my hands as we followed our guide down a sterile white hallway, and it was only Ziggy’s steady grip on my shoulder that stopped me from bolting ahead to find our alien baby.
Calm down, mother hen.
I’d only been responsible for Pedro’s wellbeing for a couple of days, but apparently, that was long enough to grow attached.
MaybeIimprinted onthem…
I was surprised but relieved to see Honnor waiting for us inside the lab, even if their Stellarian armor was blinding me with the glare from the fluorescents above.
Craning my neck, I searched for our little creature friend. “Where’s?—”
“Pedro?”Honnor replied, clearly amused by the familiarity as he stepped aside to reveal a cowering ball of fur.“She’s right here.”
She?
Before I could confirm what I’d heard, the feral tumbleweed was launching themselves—herself?—into Ziggy’s arms.
Squee!
“She?” Zig calmly addressed Honnor, determined to play it cool despite the cuteness.
“Yes,”his maker replied, turning to grab a small collection kit before handing it to me.“Whatever species Pedro is, she appears to be a female.”
I swallowed thickly, wondering whyIwas suddenly the one in charge of gathering a blood sample from…
“Well, I’m still going to call them Pedro,” I snipped as I readied the needle and syringe. “It’s gender neutral enough.”
Executive decision.
Blowing out a slow breath, I took a step toward the alien before pausing, unsure how to proceed.
