Page 16 of Alien Engineer's Mate

"Welcome to the Latharian Mate Program." The receptionist's professional smile didn't waver as she looked up from her screen. "You must be Eira Coleman and family?”

"Yes, that's right." Eira's gaze flicked to the corridor behind the reception area. There were so many doors...

"Perfect. We’ve been expecting you. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to our nursery first. Then we can get started on your intake appointment with Lead Technician S'aad." The receptionist stepped out from behind her desk and led them down the hallway. "The nursery here is our pride and joy. We understand that human children are going to need to interact with other species in the future, so we’ve created spaces for all species and age groups."

The nursery door whispered open at their approach, releasing a wave of warmth and the sound of children's laughter. Bright murals decorated the walls—scenes of space and distant worlds that seemed to shimmer and move when viewed from different angles. Her eyes widened as she looked around. Toys of all descriptions filled neat bins in groups, and in the center of the room, several children played under the watchful eyes of the nursery staff.

To one side, a raised platform held a lounge area, complete with comfortable seating, study spaces, and entertainment screens. A few human teenagers were already there, keeping watch over their younger brothers and sisters while still having their own space to relax. There was even one non-human, a tall girl with grey skin and tiny little horns nestled in the middle of her silver hair.

Leo perked up. “This is pretty cool," he murmured, though his hand stayed steady on Grace's shoulder.

"The teen area is equipped with study materials if you need them," the receptionist explained to Leo. "And the viewing angle gives you clear sight of the whole nursery."

Kyle's hand slipped from Eira's as he gravitated toward a collection of blocks that glowed when touched. The caretaker nearest to him smiled, her movements careful and unhurried as she knelt to show him how they changed colors when stacked.

"Mom, it's okay." Leo murmured. "I can see everything from up there. I’ll keep an eye on them.”

Eira swallowed hard, watching Grace edge closer to a small girl with a large dragon toy. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. Go do what you need to do." Leo squeezed her hand before heading up to the teen area, positioning himself where he could watch both his siblings easily, and closer to the alien girl than the other teenagers.

The receptionist waited until Eira had taken one last look at her children before guiding her back into the hallway. The walk seemed endless, each step echoing. Shit. She was really doing this. Really marrying an alien. Her stomach churned, but the thought of Kyle's medical bills steadied her nerves. Sometimes being a mother meant doing the hard thing, the scary thing. And those bills wouldn't pay themselves, and being part of the mate program meant medical care. She’d checked, and Latharian medicine was supposed to be the best in the new galaxy humanity found itself a part of now.

"Now for your intake medical," she said. "I know it's a big step, but remember you're doing this for them."

Eira looked at her sharply. The other woman smiled. “You’re not the only mother doing this for her children. It’s one of the main reasons our candidates sign up. And…” She leaned in closer. “If I’m honest, Latharian men make excellent fathers.”

Eira blinked, surprise rolling through her. “Even to kids who aren’t theirs?”

“Especiallywith kids who aren’t theirs. It’s seen as a mark of honor for a warrior to be able to protect a family. More kids,more honor. You have three… they’ll be falling over themselves for a chance to court you!”

Yeah, right. She wasn’t so sure of that. What man would want a woman with three kids who had spent a hard life on a mining colony? Perhaps she’d luck out and one of them was blind and didn’t want her to cook…

Her hands shook as the woman took her into a room then left her alone. It was larger than she'd expected, with walls that seemed to pulse with a gentle, ambient light. A sleek examination bed dominated the center, its surface smooth and warm to the touch when she perched on its edge. Medical displays flickered in the air around her, their alien script dancing and rearranging itself in patterns she couldn't follow.

The door slid open with a soft hiss.

"Good morning, Lady Coleman." The Latharian who entered moved with precise grace, his tall frame carrying an air of quiet authority despite his young features. "I'm Lead Technician S'aad V’Renn and I'll be handling your mate program intake today. How are you feeling?"

His smile was warm beneath its professional exterior as he activated a floating screen with a practiced gesture. She studied him from under her lashes while he was busy. He had sandy hair pulled back in a neat tail that emphasized his angular features and, oddly, wore a white coat over his leather uniform.

"Nervous," she admitted, watching as he called up what appeared to be a medical file with efficient movements. She assumed it was hers, but how had he gotten it? "But determined."

"That's perfectly understandable." He nodded. "The mate program can seem overwhelming at first, but I promise we'll take things one step at a time. Shall we begin with your medical assessment?"

As he worked, she noticed the intricate patterns that wrapped around his wrists, visible when his sleeves shifted. They were like tattoos of vines, the details so fine they seemed to shift and move in the room's ambient light.

He caught her looking and held out his arm with quiet pride so she could take a closer look.

"My mating marks," he explained, his professional demeanor warming. "They appeared when I bonded with my Jade. She's human, like yourself. I was blessed to find her. True mates have become quite rare for the Lathar. We are blessed to be finding them among humanity.”

"They're beautiful," she said softly. “Are they tattoos?"

"A common question, but they're not. They're biological in nature." S'aad's expression grew thoughtful as he prepared what looked like a medical scanner and ran it over her, not touching her. "Each warrior's marks are unique to their bond, but few are lucky enough to receive them these days. Finding a true mate..." He shook his head slightly. "Well, let's focus on your intake for now."

The scanner hummed as it passed over her.

"Your readings are clear," he announced, studying the holographic display. “Which is perfect. Now, I'll administer two dermal patches. The first contains a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which is standard procedure for all new arrivals. We don’t want you to get sick with alien bugs,” he added with a quick smile. “And the second holds your translation matrix."

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