Page 12 of Breedable Boys from Outer Space
I stared at the civvies laid out on my bed. The selection at the temporary exchange in one of the meeting rooms had been extremely limited, and I’d ended up with a few pairs of jeans, a pair of black trousers, a button-up shirt, and several T-shirts.
What did you wear to meet the man you’d spend the rest of your life with? The brass had forbidden uniforms since we’d likely be breaking uniform laws, which left me with the options in front of me.
I finally paired the button-up shirt with the jeans—leaving the shirt untucked for a more casual look. Then it was time.
I made my way downstairs to one of the common rooms, which had been designated the place for our mixer with the aliens—where the remaining two hundred or so human volunteers from our group would meet their mates.
Myself included.
Several men already carried beers when I walked in, and I couldn’t exactly blame them. The entire thing still felt surreal, and a bit of alcohol would take the edge off. But as I eyed the drink selection, I grabbed a bottle of soda instead.
This would be the last time I wouldn’t be influenced by alien pheromones, and I wanted to be myself for it—not affected by anything else.
The room had been decorated to be comfortable—with couches and plush armchairs scattered around. I made my way through the crowd until I was in an emptier area, then sat on one of the couches.
It was supposed to be a party, but the mood was muted. People talked in small groups with hushed tones, if they talked at all. Uniformed soldiers with tablets waited at each entrance—whether to track us or assist those who decided to leave at the last minute, I didn’t know.
“Attention!” somebody called, and I rose to my feet. I could just make out the brigadier general, Dr. Wallace, and Eashai walking in.
“At ease,” the general stated. He waited a minute, then spoke. “As of now, you are all off-duty for at least the next three weeks. At some point, you will be moved into family housing, but that will be your only responsibility until your new jobs are posted.”
He scanned the room. “Thank you, gentlemen, for your service and dedication to your country. You have all served honorably. While this next chapter in your life is probably something you never expected, we hope that you will continue to demonstrate the values that have brought you this far. I look forward to working with all of you as you start your families here.”
He paused. “Any last-minute questions before your prospective mates come in?”
Nobody spoke up.
He nodded. “Good luck meeting your new partners tonight.”
With that, he, Dr. Wallace, and Eashai walked out.
We were all silent, then noises came from the hall: voices and footsteps.
The doors opened and pastel-tinted men of every shade poured into the common room.
Chapter 8
There was an awkward moment during which we all stared at each other, us humans on one side, and the aliens on the other.
Was it just as surreal to them?
“Well darn,” drawled a Texas accent. “Y’all are so colorful a Marine might mistake you for a snack.”
“Oh, they’re a snack all right,” another man shot right back, “but at least we know what part goes in the mouth.”
All the humans chuckled at the ribbing, and that seemed to be enough to break the ice. Several approached the aliens to make introductions.
Soon the colorful men fanned out and started mingling. Some small groups of conversation formed, others approached the humans one-on-one.
A tall slender man with pale yellow skin and black hair neared, a tentative smile on his face. “Hello,” he started with that same lyrical lilt that Eashai had.
I nodded. “Hello.”
“You are alone?” he asked. “Do you not wish to… make introductions?”
I smiled, recognizing the hint of a language barrier. “I think the term you were looking for is ‘introduce yourself,’ and I wanted to be away from the crowd.”
His smile widened. “Introduce yourself. Thank you. Why do you wish to be apart?”
