Page 80 of An Alien for the Future

The blue child in her arms gurgles happily, reaching out towards me with tiny hands, too. I can’t resist and soon I have two bouncing babies in my arms and a heart that is swelling so much it’s becoming overfull.

“And this is Cleo and Sohut,” Lauren gestures to the other couple, who also come closer, the female waving and the male dipping his head in greeting.

As introductions and lighthearted greetings are made, I can’t believe what’s happening.

“This is a delightful surprise. Why don’t we all go inside?” I suggest, finding my voice at last. “I’ve got some fresh bluebread, and I’m sure we have a lot to talk about.”

“Bluebread?” Nia grins. “Sounds yum.”

As we make our way into the house, I can almost feel the intensity of Tovan’s gaze as he watches me balance the babies. I talk to them and laugh, marveling at their little alien-human traits, and soon my little cottage is packed full again with strangers that might actually become family.

It’s a tight fit with all of us, but I make it work. As I serve the food and drinks, Nia, Lauren, and Cleo tell me how they foundtheir mates. They live half a day’s travel away and mentioned that there was a rumor of more humans arriving on Hudo.

However, they’d thought the new humans were slaves and had been searching the underground networks to no avail. I tell them about New Horizons and how this is all voluntary, much to everyone’s relief.

“So, Kamesh,” the bounty hunter says, addressing Tovan, “you wanted an upgrade for your translator?” He slides a device across the table to Tovan. “Here you go.”

Tovan meets his gaze. “Appreciate it. How many credits do I owe you?”

I can’t see the bounty hunter’s face but I can hear his growl. “I don’t charge family.”

The word drops like a weight in the entire room, a moment before my heart gets light. Family. Something I never thought I’d ever have again.

“Family,” Tovan repeats.

“You are mated to a human, Kamesh.” The bounty hunter says. “We’re all connected now.”

Nia and the other women nod, a hint of approval in their eyes.

Tovan’s gaze shifts to mine and I can tell he’s wondering if I want this. I nod and he visibly relaxes, his shoulders releasing some of the tension I didn’t realize was there.

“Good.” Nia takes the lead. “We’ll start with upgrading Tovan’s translator. Then we’ll work on getting your voice out there. Small steps, but important ones.”

My gaze shoots to her. “My voice…you mentioned something about orders.”

Nia nods, a gentle smile playing on her lips. “Ka’Cit’s got some contacts that are willing to pay a lot of credits to hear you sing.”

“What?” I almost can’t believe it.

Nia nods and Lauren pipes in. “It’s not just them, us too. What I wouldn’t give to have some tracks of songs from Earth. And yourvoice!” She does a chef’s kiss that makes me chuckle even as I’m blushing inside.

Cleo chimes in too. “Your songs can help others see the value in humans. To show that we’re not just some primitive species to be exploited or ignored.”

I didn’t even consider that. Heck, I didn’t consider anyone except Tovan ever hearing me sing.

A mix of excitement and trepidation swirls in my chest.

“No pressure,” Nia says. “I know how hard it is just getting settled in this new life.” She grins at her children who are currently climbing her mate like he’s a jungle gym. “Especially while raising a family.”

As the evening winds down, our guests start preparing to leave. The bounty hunter—Ka’Cit, I remind myself—helps Riv gather their children, who have fallen asleep. Cleo and Lauren collect their things, exchanging warm smiles with us.

Nia approaches me as the others are heading out. She pulls me into a gentle hug, surprising me with the gesture. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home,” she says as she pulls back.

I smile, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. “Thank you for coming. You all have such beautiful families,” I say, glancing at the others as they make their way outside.

Nia’s eyes soften, a hint of moisture gathering at the corners. “I never thought it would happen, you know,” she confides. “When we adopted our daughter, I thought that was all we’d have. But life has a way of surprising you.”

My curiosity piques at the mention of adoption. “You adopted?”

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