Page 44 of Whoops-A-Mate From Outer Space
“What…?”
“Since you lack implants, that can provide information when you are away from a terminal or following directions to a location.”
“What is it?” I asked, noticing a slight sheen when I tilted my arm to look at the interconnecting lines.
“It connects to the information network and generates a small holographic display if needed.”
I tried to peel up a corner, but it seemed embedded in my skin. “It’s not a sticker?”
Eashai held up something clear. “This was the backing. It embeds just under the surface to use bioelectric pulses.”
“Is it permanent?” I asked, wondering how I’d explain a strange tattoo to my students.
He laughed. “It is not. It will dissolve and be absorbed safely by your body by the time we return to Earth.”
“That quickly? It’s the day after tomorrow, right?”
He nodded. “I input the duration of your visit when I added you to the system, so it knows when its job is done.”
“I’m sure any government officials werepissedthat they couldn’t wear these back to Earth to study them.”
He grinned. “The few who were here, and it was a very small number, did not receive them. The officials were granted limited movement. You have far greater access.”
“Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “For the same reason you were allowed to come. The chance of an accidental mating is slim. We have noticed that some officials from your planet… hide… their preferences. We did not wish to start an incident between our peoples—and your governments—by allowing a mating to occur. They were so determined to prevent it that any Lalyllte who was in contact with that group was given a special kind of pheromone suppressant that was developed for the occasion, though I hear the side-effects were unpleasant.”
“That sounds like some serious precautions.”
“They were. However, most felt they were needed.”
“How many other humans have visited? Besides me and some government officials?”
“I do not know for sure, but I am certain the number is small. No country has started official matings, though there have been an expected handful of accidental ones… on Earth. We expect the program to begin in earnest very soon, though. One stipulation was that we would share select technology only after the programs had started, not during the research period. We felt it was the best way to ensure that no government attempted to hinder the research in an attempt to avoid people mating with us. We want the research performed, insisted on it actually, but…”
I let out a single laugh. “I get it, as a race, we’re not ready to be trusted.”
“That is the unfortunate reality.”
I shook my head. “I bet some people were mad as hell about it, but it was a good call.”
He smiled, then frowned. “It is time for me to get to the lab. Do you recall the way to my home?”
I nodded. “Do I need a key or anything?”
He shook his head. “I did remember to add you to my approval list. You may come and go at will.”
“Ok, and how do I use this thing?”
I shivered slightly as he slid his fingertips under my wrist to steady my arm. Then he used his free hand to point to where several lines intersected. “Press there to activate it by voice. It does have some limitations. It gets its instructions from terminals, so if you are out of range, it will guide you to the nearest one to complete your query. If you need to follow directions after visiting a terminal, it has enough internal memory to guide you to your destination.”
“Ok,” I breathed, focused more on where his fingers were on my wrist than his words.
Why does that feel so nice?
The loss of contact was a jolt to my system when he released me.
“I am sorry,” he murmured. “I must go. They are expecting me.”
