Page 78 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

But were they true?

Would I be stupidly setting myself up for another heartbreak if I believed them?

Or would I make the biggest mistake of my life if I didn’t?

I glanced at the Voranian characters at the end of Kear’s letter. I believed those meant “I hope you’ll reply.”

I hit the reply button and typed.

“Summer is beautiful in Voran. I’ve decided to take a few days to enjoy it before returning to Earth. After two weeks of sightseeing, however, I believe I’ve seen all I wanted to see except for one thing.

Back in the hospital I watched a lot of documentaries about Aldraian gardening technique. Did you know they have trees on the planet Aldrai big enough to use as houses? There is one in Victory Park just outside of the City of Voran, and I want to see it before I leave this planet. I’m going to the park this weekend to take a tour. If the weather is as nice as they forecast it to be, I’ll be having lunch in the park, too.”

After a moment of consideration, I added, “Victory Park is a great place to bring a baby.”

If he showed up, it’d be a great opportunity to see them both, either to figure things out or at least to say goodbye.

Alcus Hecear was waiting for me to confirm my departure date for Earth. Either way, I should be in the position to finally do it after my trip to Victory Park tomorrow.

Chapter 26

Maya

The bhicut tree looked like an entire forest up close. Its roots rose from the ground, taking up an area the size of a city block from back home. Each root was as big as a tree trunk, and there were probably a hundred of them. They grew straight up, connecting into arches high above my head and forming the main trunk of the giant tree.

I followed the group of out-of-town tourists that weaved between the roots under the tree.

Our tour-guide drone hovered over the crowd, relaying facts and statistics about the magnificent tree.

“Though this species is quite common in some parts of the planet Aldrai, it is the only one of its kind on Neron. The tree was a gift from Aldrai to Neron to commemorate a major trade agreement signed a hundred and fifteen years ago between the two planets,” the drone informed us.

I spotted a large orange flower on the vine twining up one of the roots and stopped to smell it. The “flower” trembled, its “petals” closed into a bud, then opened again like an umbrella. The creature separated from the vine and flew up with a faint buzzing noise.

I gasped in surprise, jumping back.

“The tree creates its own ecological mini system,” the drone continued. “Twenty-seven life forms have been exported from Aldrai to live among its roots and up in its canopy. Unable to survive in the environment outside of the tree, the exported species remain in its proximity, thus not threatening the existing biosystems on Neron.”

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