by Lisa Lace
“Maybe instead of looking for a job on Earth, I could just become a TerraMates bride. It would be an easy way to make a bunch of credits.� I had a twinkle in my eye.
“Jayne Lynch, you will do no such thing.� My mother’s eyes flashed angrily. “Don’t even think about it.�
“What kind of business are you running if you wouldn’t put your child into it? That sounds like a terrible endorsement.�
“You’re not serious, are you?� She looked at me carefully before an annoyed look spread over her face. “You’re playing with me.�
I laughed. “You’re too easy to rile up. I would never do something like that. I know you and Dad worked out fine. Everyone seems to find love through your business, but it’s not my kind of thing. I’m going to choose who I marry.�
“You can’t choose who you love, Jaynie.�
“Jayne, Mom. And do you know something? Yes, I can. I will date. When I find the right man, I’ll choose to marry him. And when he loves me back, we’ll get married. That’s how it’s going to go. Simple. Easy. No. TerraMates. Required.�
She huffed out her breath, dropped her shoulders, and gazed at me with a mother’s look that made me know she thought I was hopelessly wrong.
“You’ve never really been in love yet. That’s not how it works.�
“We’ll just have to agree to disagree, then.� I stood up, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and put my dishes with the unfinished food back into the fabricator. The elements would either be sterilized or recombined into something else to eat. The machine hummed softly for a few seconds, then played a pleasant tone. I took the clean plate out and put it away in the cupboard.
“Let me know how your first day of job-hunting goes,� she said. “I’ll be at work late, but I want to know. Good luck.� She smiled at me brightly.
“Thanks.�
Who knew what the day had in store for me? Maybe I would meet my true love on the street. Mom didn’t know everything, even though marriage and love were her business.
I was going to find a job and the perfect guy, and make it home in time for dinner.
I stepped onto the transporter pad and punched in the coordinates for my destination. The stations had started out as luxuries for the rich and famous but had quickly dropped in price. Now they were a fixture all over the cities of Earth.
Our family lived close to a transporter, and it was my preferred method of getting around. Cars were becoming quite old-fashioned, though they were still used by people who were afraid of a machine scanning in their atomic structure, being disintegrated, then having a different machine reassemble them somewhere else.
In a moment, I disappeared then shimmered back into awareness at a different station. I waited on the pad for a minute to make sure there weren’t any problems with my reconstructed body before I decided to get something to eat. My favorite restaurant was down the block from here. I could get some breakfast and update my resume before I registered at the job bank.
Something felt wrong as soon as I entered the restaurant. No one was talking. Instead, they all stared up at the video screen on the wall. Even though the volume was turned low, the sound reached everywhere in the room.
Not knowing what else to do, I started watching too. A newscaster was speaking.
“Large starships are hovering in the skies over the continents, and a delegation has arrived at the President’s office to negotiate.� The picture cut to a shot of five men. One was distinctly older. The other four looked so similar that they must have been brothers.
The video was just giving me more questions to answer. There was a server next to me, standing with arms crossed over her chest and gazing unwaveringly at the screen. “What do aliens want to negotiate with us?� I whispered.
“It’s the king of Auxem and four of his sons. The crown prince isn’t with them. They said he’s in meetings with our scientists. They want to negotiate with us.� The server turned to face me and wagged her eyebrows suggestively. “They want women.�
“In other news, wildfires are burning through the area as drought affects the region for the third consecutive year.� Apparently, an advance alien strike force landing on Earth was not important enough to get a newscaster’s full attention. As they switched to another story, the woman turned to me, eager to share the gossip.
“Let’s pretend I don’t understand anything you’re saying.� I doubted that aliens had made the trip out to Earth so they could pick up chicks.
“Their planet experienced what they call a biological holocaust. Years ago, they encountered a virus that only attacked their females. Now their race is dying. They need women so they can save their species.�
If the story were true, my mother’s business was going to take off. I wondered if the aliens were rich and could pay her fees.
“Wait a second. We can’t catch this girl-only virus, right?�
“I don’t think so.� The server shook her head. “That’s one of the reasons why they’re meeting with our scientists right now. The other is that they know Earth is overpopulated. They hope to convince as many women as possible who don’t carry the H4T7 gene to go back to their planet.�
“Why do they care about one gene in particular?
“Something’s the matter with their genetics, too. Earth isn’t the first planet they approached. Their physiology makes it likely their babies will come out male. They traced the problem to a combination of their genes and females who carry the H4T7 gene. All they care about is making girls now. More males will add to their problems.�
The restaurant was beginning to fill with conversation, and the woman showed me to a table. I opened my computer and started to check the available jobs. I didn’t have time to think about aliens looking for female mates.
That was my mother’s world, not mine.
Hours later, I stumbled up the steps of my parents’ house, feeling exhausted and tripping over my own feet. I had finished my master’s degree only a few months ago. They had encouraged me to work and save so I wouldn’t have to go into debt. It sounded like a good idea to me, and Dad was a great cook, too. I continued to live with them even though I was looking for a place for myself.
As soon as I walked through the door, I dropped my bag and took off my shoes. I wanted to shower, watch some television, and go to sleep. I was ready to relax after my first day looking for a job.
Relaxation wasn’t in the cards for me.
“Oh Jayne, you’re here already!� Mom looked flustered. My mother was usually calm and in control, so her state of disarray sent off warning signals in my mind. “You’ve heard about the Auxem, I presume?�
I nodded, sitting down on the bottom step of the stairs which led to the second floor.
“The President has invited us for dinner. There’s a delegation that wants to speak with me. I think they’re going to contract with TerraMates to coordinate the women for the aliens. There will be a lot of paperwork and genetic testing that the government is not ready to process.�
“Don’t they have the information they need from everyone’s BioScan already?� The BioScan became an everyday item when my mother was a young woman. It recorded significant health statistics like information about your immune system, hormones, micronutrients, and even fertility cycle. Once it became integrated with people’s medical records, it reduced the number of credits spent on health care worldwide by half.
Overnight, people could know if they had a serious medical condition as long as they scanned their body once a day. It helped both physicia
ns and patients. At first, doctors felt threatened by the devices, thinking that robots were going to take over their jobs. When BioScans started saving lives, the doctors changed their minds and started embracing them as a useful tool. They now saw BioScans as assistants that let them focus on finding cures for diseases and encouraging people to live healthy lifestyles. The scans had high accuracy rates; they ended up being better than most physician’s diagnoses.
“The gene they’re looking for is not included in the Bioscan’s genetic testing. We’re going to have to pay some scientists to add it. Well, first we have to get the contract. But imagine how many credits it will be worth!�
“Sounds perfect for you, Mom, but I still need to find a job. I hope you and Dad have a nice time out there. I’m going to take a shower.�
“I think you misunderstood me. The invitation was for all of us. You can take a shower, but afterward, pull out your evening wear and choose a dress. You’ve got to be ready in an hour.�
I didn’t want to go, but I wondered if it was even possible to turn down a Presidential invitation. As I looked through my fancy dresses, I thought about dining with the President. I had met this President exactly once before. She seemed like a kind woman. I remembered her being charismatic.
Who was I kidding? Tonight was going to be one of the most boring evenings of my life. Still, the aliens looked cute. Maybe I would get to see one of them. I wondered if the king and his sons had been invited to the dinner as well.
With my luck, they would be somewhere else and the only men there would be fifty years old and balding. I sighed and picked out a red dress. I thought it would look fantastic with my blonde hair and turquoise eyes.
Whether or not I was seeing aliens tonight, I was determined to look stunning.
Chapter Two
ARNON
When Father asked me to meet with our scientists, I followed orders. It didn’t matter what I wanted. Even though the rest of my family was having a formal dinner with the Earth President, I would be meeting with the geeks.
We all did what the king requested these days. He had always been a harsh man, but he was worse now than before. The loss of all the women on the planet had affected us all in different ways.
My mother died when I was ten years old. She was one of the first of our species to succumb to the virus and her loss still affected me today. I had pushed the grief inside me into the background, but a hint of the emotion always colored my actions. Her loss had made me reluctant to become close with anyone.
For now, both my father and I had the same goal. We wanted to save our people from destruction. Nothing else mattered. We had been traveling the galaxy for five years, going from planet to planet and testing their women for genetic compatibility.
It sounds callous, but they were all willing. We chose our best young men as representatives of our race. Any women accepted into the project were volunteers. Unfortunately, all of the planets that we had tried until now had disappointing results.
The women could bear our children. The problem was that most of the children were male and completely unnecessary for the preservation of our species. If we were to survive, we needed female babies.
Usually, it would have taken years to determine the cause of the baby gender problem. Our scientists solved it within months. They were highly motivated. A single gene was the culprit preventing us from breeding. Women who had the gene almost always produced male offspring.
The new information changed our quest. Now we needed a plentiful population that was willing to breed with us and didn’t possess the H4T7 gene. With luck, we would find our targets in the women of Earth.
My brothers and I had done some initial reconnaissance before our official arrival on this planet. We tested a hundred women a night for ten days and sent their results back to our laboratories for analysis.
Only a small percentage of the women on Earth had the gene. Even better, the planet was vastly overpopulated and happy to move some of their females off world, which worked out well for us.
I should be happy right now. The end was in sight. But as usual, I was doing the dirty work while my brothers and father got to have all the fun. Maybe it was better this way. They would have to sit through all the boring speeches, but I would come in at the end for dancing and dessert as long as I finished on time.
I stood in front of the doors leading to the area of the starship where our scientists worked. I sighed, hesitating for a moment before I shook my head, put on my best smile and entered the laboratory.
After the meeting, I transported directly back to my hotel room. Our transporter technology was much better than Earth’s. We didn’t need pads, for one thing.
Danin jumped to attention once he saw me materialize. I felt sorry for him. I wondered what he did while I was away. Was he always waiting around my room, hoping I would show up so he could do something?
“How was the meeting, your highness?�
“To tell you the truth, it could be better. The situation might be worse than we thought. I can’t tell you everything before I let my father know.�
Danin frowned but didn’t ask any questions. He merely helped me get ready for the party. As I changed into the Earth outfit, I wrinkled my nose in distaste. The humans liked their clothing tight.
“It’s called a tuxedo.� Danin served as a cultural advisor. “I’m told it’s very fashionable. With any luck, the Earth women will be swooning over you.�
I took a look at my reflection in the mirror. “I wouldn’t call it fashionable at all. I look weird.� I smiled to myself in the glass, testing to see how I looked. “I don’t want just any Earth woman. I have very particular tastes.�
I wanted one with the proper genetics and preferably someone who looked like the woman I kissed last night. My heart beat faster thinking about her. If I was honest with myself, I didn’t want someone who looked like that girl. I wanted her.
“You sound very romantic.�
“Romance has nothing to do with it. We have a duty to save our people. Don’t we?�
Danin gave a long-suffering sigh. “Of course we do, your highness.�
“Just call me Arnon, when we’re alone. You’ve known me since birth.�
“Of course, Arnon. But you must be careful to consider your happiness. I’m sure your father has other things on his mind right now.�
His disapproving look spoke volumes. Danin, ever the idealist, thought we could save ourselves without sacrificing personal fulfillment. My father didn’t agree.
“He’s doing the best he can. You know we’re in an impossible situation,� I whispered.
“The way we’re fixing it is wrong. Nothing you say about extinction or destruction is going to change it.�
I didn’t bother answering. Danin was using an old argument, and neither one of us was going to convince the other.
I brushed off my clothes. “Am I ready?�
“You look very dashing, sir.�
“Let’s get this party started then. I’ll transport from here. Can you pull up safe landing coordinates?�
“Certainly, your highness.�
“Transport.� I closed my eyes, only to open them again immediately when I heard a voice next to me.
“You!� The woman sounded like she knew me, but that was impossible. I didn’t have any friends on Earth.
Either Danin’s idea of safe coordinates differed significantly from mine, or the woman moved a moment before I materialized. It made me nervous to realize that I might have appeared inside her body, killing us both.
I finally looked at her face and felt my breath falter. It was the girl from last night.
She was blonde with long, slightly curly hair that she had pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head. A riot of curls spilled out of it and fell around her face. She had almond-shaped eyes and a sweet face with a pointed chin. And she wore an elegant red dress that clung to her curvy body and was all kinds of sexy, with plump, scarlet lips matching the exact shade of the dress.
I hadn’t been close to a woman in years, and now I had been within touching distance of a beautiful one twice in the past twenty-four hours. I wasn’t a candidate for the experiments. They were considered beneath a crown prince. I ended up just like all the other men on our starships who were searching for compatible women. I practiced forced abstinence and took care of my needs by myself.
Our culture honored women with a reverence that bordered on religion. We weren’t supposed to use them to relieve sexual tension. A man didn’t fuck a woman who wasn’t his wife. It was taboo.
Let’s just say that I was intimately acquainted with my right hand, or my left sometimes, for variety. The scent and heat of a woman standing only a few inches away from me were making my head spin, and my cock stand at attention.
“I thought you were a dream.�
I swallowed and wondered what I should do. I hadn’t erased her memory from my mind. At the time, I didn’t want her to forget me, but I didn’t think I was going to see her again. Now she was standing directly in front of me.
I was an idiot.
There was no way for me to act on my attraction. It was simply impossible for me to be with this woman in any way, shape, or form. I was the crown prince, and custom required me to marry whoever my father told me to. I had no idea who this woman was or any knowledge of her genetic markers. I had a mission to save my planet.
I had to fix this, somehow. Maybe I could pretend nothing happened last night. I tilted my head, staring at her like I had never seen her before.
“I’m not sure what you mean.� My hands wanted to touch her body, but my voice sounded cold as I stepped away. “I don’t believe we’ve met. It’s my first time on Earth.�
