Page 16 of The Alien I Fell in Love with on Walpurgis Night

“You’re too kind. Genetically coded bracelets will be enough. We don’t require the binding tattoos or an official ceremony. But thank you, old friend.”

“Ah, there’s one thing I realize that I forgot to mention. Here at the Alliance Force we require everyone leaving for the Empire with their human wife to take binding tattoos. That way we are sure no one is lying to us. This is especially true now that our doctor is temporarily away.”

“Fox, we go way back. Why would I lie about having a human wife?”

“Why would you not want the binding tattoos if Madame Georgiana is your true other half?”

“We have an imperial arrangement.”

“I doubt that she would want that now that you’ve been separated and reunited. Let me have Sem ask her. Maybe that would make everything clearer for you both?”

10

Georgiana

Officer Sem gets a message from someone and then looks at me. “Do you and Commander Axl have an imperial-style relationship?”

“What do you mean, ‘imperial-style relationship?’”

“Do you have sex with other people? Does he have sex with slave artists and you the same when you are apart?”

“I hope not. But we were separated. I didn’t sleep with anyone else…” I trail off not knowing the answer to this. I can’t read Officer Sem’s expression, but he types something back in his phone that doesn’t look reassuring.

After he receives another message, he then asks me, “Do you know what binding tattoos are?”

“No, I’ve never heard of them.”

“They are tattoos that make it so the two people having the tattoos can never have sex with another person or they will die from anaphylactic shock.”

“What?”

“We have a policy here at Alliance Force that every married couple returning to the Empire must take binding tattoos. Are you prepared to do that?”

“Sure,” I say. This isn’t real.

“The tattoos are permanent and you will die if you try to have sex with someone other than Commander Axl. Do you understand?”

I weigh out having a tattoo over the money waiting for me under the floor boards in the cabin. “How big is the tattoo?”

“It’s small, half the size of your finger.”

“And does it have to be in a certain place?”

“You can choose for it to be placed anywhere on your body. You and Commander Axl don’t have to make it public that you have taken the tattoos, although people will guess because you’re human and you’ve passed through Alliance Force.”

“What’s it look like?”

Officer Sem shows me a picture on the 3D projection between us. “It’s simple. But everyone will know what it means if they see it.”

The tattoo is two circles crossing not unlike a Venn diagram. It’s simple enough. “Okay. I agree.”

Officer Sem types something.

“Thank you Madame Georgiana. We are finished here. I’ll show you to your quarters. Tomorrow the Hio departs for the Empire.”

I can’t believe it was this simple. I smile as Officer Sem leads me to what he says are our quarters and I’m surprised to be left in such a luxurious set of rooms alone. I investigate it and can’t believe how everything modern it is. Whoever is putting on this game has really spared no expense to make it look and feel as real as possible.

A few minutes later, Axl enters.

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