Page 76 of Married to the All Hallows' Eve Alien

"It's complicated."

"How?"

"We don't have a justice system like on Earth. It's up to individuals to seek out their own justice."

"So you're expected to find her murderers and what? Take them to prison yourself?"

"No," I say. "Challenge them to a duel to the death in the ancient way."

"What's the ancient way?"

"Naked with a sword and allowing the goddesses and fate to decide."

Ivy tilts her head at me, her green eyes wide. "You've spaceships, but you're still using swords to dish out justice?"

"It's practical."

"But your government does go through all the trouble to follow us and fine us for touching before marriage?"

"It's the will of the goddesses. Not everything makes sense to mortals."

"You would at least expect some consistency," she says under her breath.

I look at her seriously, deciding whether or not to respond, and I decide to leave it. Everyone in the galaxy always says, ‘You have to be Alliance to understand justice in the Empire.’ She will either understand in time or she never will. So, I change the subject after a few seconds of silence, "I told my father about you."

Ivy seems genuinely surprised by this admission. "What did you say?"

"I can show you the first message I wrote to him about you."

"I can't read it."

"I forgot," I say. "Once you get a translator, you can see it." Then I open my GC messages and show her a message to my father where I sent a copy of one of our pictures from Greece.

"That’s one of my favorite pictures. Does he think we are married?"

"He understands what we did but warned me that he thought that in the eyes of the goddesses, we were married. I told them on Earth, things were different, but I knew the situation was risky. I just didn't want to ruin what we had. I was afraid I'd lose you if you knew the truth too soon or if I presented it badly."

"In retrospect, I should have guessed you weren't from Earth. The lack of body hair and the ridged penis were dead giveaways. Your little necklace couldn’t simulate hair?"

"No, it cannot change anything truly physical. But otherwise, I did my best to hide everything as well as I could," I tell her. "This is my father’s most recent message,” I show her, even though she can’t read. “He read about what happened in the last few days and is worried."

"How does he know what’s happened here if he's across the galaxy?"

"News travels fast, and people enjoy a good story about a human woman and an Alliance man."

"I have so many questions for you about who lives where in the galaxy; my mind is spinning."

Chime. Chime. Chime.

Ivy gives me a surprised look, and I explain while getting up, "It's the Watching. Everyone is awake now." I open the door to see Caroline.

She walks in and over to Ivy. "I heard you recovered your memories from the first time you were abducted. I just wanted to know if there was anything you wanted to talk about. Or explained from a human perspective?"

Ivy looks up at me, and I understand that she wants to talk with Caroline privately.

As much as I want to be here for Ivy, there’s no one in the whole galaxy I trust more than Caroline. I touch Ivy’s arm and say, "I'll go to the gym.” I return to my single man's quarters and find my workout clothing. I take my sword. I'm sure someone will be there to spar with.

Thirty-Four

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