Page 75 of Alien's Eternal Mate

I chuckled and patted his head. He still looked more like Arael than me, at least in my opinion. He had her same twilight purple eyes.

“You really want to be a midwife?”

“I want to do everything.”

“And I'm sure that you will, Ajax. I’m sure you will.”

I ate dinner with my family, then relaxed on the divan with Arael while Ajax slowly drifted off to sleep between us. She squeezed my hand as I wrapped up my story about losing tribes because we ended the caste system.

“I’m sorry. I know you wanted to look at the artifacts they have at their disposal.”

I shrugged and gave her a small smile.

“It’s not the end of the world. Besides, it’s not like I would have time to even look at the artifacts anyway, let alone study them. Ending the caste system means that I’m going to be quite busy for the time being.”

Arael stared at me for a long moment, then turned her gaze on the fire.

“I hope you won't be that busy. At least not in about eight months or so.”

“Why? What happens in eight…”

My voice trailed off as I noticed the glint in her eyes.

“We’re having another baby?”

She nodded, then looked at me.

“Are you happy?”

“Of course I’m happy.”

I held her close, then put my son to bed so Arael and I could properly celebrate. I returned to work the next day, forging the new direction of the Republic.

My second child was born during a terrible thunderstorm. She was a breech birth, and Arael nearly died, but we all made it through.

Liara was a lot quieter than Ajax. But she was also a lot smarter. I thought she looked more like Gro than Arael, but it was a toss up. I tried my best to split my time between the chieftainship and my family, but it proved challenging.

It took years to incorporate the changes wrought by demolishing the caste system. It took even longer for Masari culture to reap the benefits. Ajax celebrated his twelfth birthday on the same day that a former Shunned Sage discovered how to expand an antigravity field enough to get a ship into orbit.

It was only an unmanned ship, but still, quite the achievement. I realized that we would likely see the ability to achieve faster than light travel within my…within Gro’s lifetime.

Masari lived somewhat longer than humans, with an expectancy of two hundred years or so. Because of differences in their metabolism and anatomy, Masari enjoy good health and mobility until their final decade or so.

Still, it was hard to watch as Zey and Pageus slowly succumbed to Father Time. Pageus was replaced as War Chief by Nikor, and spent his time training warriors rather than fighting himself.

Zey’s faculties left him before his body gave out. His grandchildren attended to his needs until the bitter end.

Twenty turns of the seasons after I had awakened in Gro’s body, both the great chiefs were dead. I found myself the elder, rather than the stripling at council meetings.

I still came back home to my beautiful lifemate. Other things had changed, however. My son Ajax moved out, announcing his attention to start his own family. Liria spoke more and more of joining a Sage’s college some eight hundred miles from the village’s usual migratory path.

My life changed, and stayed the same. I worked hard to improve the lives of the Masari, and make my family happy.

If the cost was the life of one petty, angry, and small minded human scientist, then so be it. I would willingly pay the price again and again for just one year with my family. I thought losing my old life was a bargain.

When Liria left for the Sage’s college, I stood in my home, which now felt so terribly small and empty. I held my lifemate in my arms and waited for her to weep. Yet, she did not.

“Are you all right, my love?”

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