Chapter 285: Planning For The Future
Tha’juen stared out of the window of the 15th floor, his mate’s house on Earth. It was weird to him to be so high up. The Saalistaja didn’t build their home high; there was enough space that every house was only a single story. But with all the people around, he could see why they were quick to build up rather than out.
He had never seen so many of the same species on a single planet, let alone in one tiny building.
Was this what his mate wanted? Was this her ideal home?
He shook his head and watched the people below him running around. Even in the middle of the night, there were people everywhere.
"Different, isn’t it?" muttered Midnight as he came to stand beside the other male. "I don’t know how she was able to live like this."
"It’s even more surprising to see all the females walking around," pointed out Da’kea. He held a glass of amber liquid in his hand that Mei Xing had called whiskey. All the males had taken a liking to the strong drink, but Midnight had preferred something called Tequila.
"And not a single one under obvious protection. Could you just imagine what this planet would look like right now if the Alliance had managed to get their hands on its location?" asked Ye’tab. The other males shuddered at that idea.
"Maybe Pippa being a narcissistic bitch played out well for us then," interrupted Mei Xing as she strolled across the floor of her home. She was wearing a long silk gown that clung to her curves, showing off the bump that their offspring were in.
"Do you ever miss it?" asked GA, cocking his head to the side. He was sitting on the couch in front of the screen that his mate had called a television and was scrolling through the channels.
There was a long period of silence, which caused the six males to turn to look at the tiny human in front of them.
"Sometimes," she admitted softly. She stepped up to the window next to Tha’juen and looked out into the night sky. Leaning on him, she sighed. "I don’t miss everything about it," she continued in an assuring manner. "But sometimes, I miss... knowing."
She let out another long sigh and straightened. Giving Tha’juen a brief kiss, she walked over to where GA was sitting and took the small box from his hands.
"Knowing?" asked Da’kea as he walked over to sit with her.
"Earth is... safe, for lack of a better word," she said, trying to find the right words to express what she was feeling. "Everything remains the same." She snorted at that, but none of the others could figure out what she was trying to say.
"I woke up, ate breakfast, went to school or work, depending on how old I was at the time, had dinner, and went to bed. Every day was the same thing over and over again. And it was reassuring," she explained, her eyes never leaving the television in front of her.
She pointed to something, and all six males turned their attention to the screen. There were two green eight-legged creatures in a weird glass dome over their heads talking about taking over Earth. None of the males could understand why she was laughing, but at least she was happy.
"Aliens were things in cartoons that asked to speak to our leader. They weren’t real. Even when the tv shows and movies tried their damn hardest to make them look real, we knew they couldn’t exist. It was all make-believe, pretend. In fact, there was a joke going around that if aliens ever did come down to Earth and attack it, the biggest thing humans faced was knowing what franchise got it right."
She looked up at GA and smirked. "It is nice to know that one of them did. I am sure that the Thuzirusians helped with that. But it wasn’t real."
She looked down at her hands for a second before looking back at the TV. "And all of a sudden, it was." Her voice was soft, almost vulnerable. "Then I had to figure out a new reality, where nothing was the same, and the routines I took for granted went to shit, and I was stuck trying to find my place in a giant universe where people only cared about one thing."
She rubbed her belly. "I miss Earth because here I know where I will be five years down the road, ten years down the road. Out in space, I have no idea one hour to the next." She looked at the guys and stood up. "But then again, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Night boys. I’ll see you in bed."
The males were silent as Mei Xing walked out of the living room and down the hall toward what she called the master bedroom.
"Do you think she would be happier here? On Earth?" asked Tha’juen softly when they heard the door to the bedroom close.
"I don’t know," answered GA after a moment. "I mean, there are a lot of people. The chances of us being discovered are high. Not to mention the children."
"I think staying on Jun Li would be the best option," muttered Ye’tab. "It is safest for everyone and the children."
"But I think she wants to be around other people," admitted Midnight. He was still standing by the window, his arms crossed over his chest.
"You don’t know that for sure," pointed out Tha’juen. "I mean, I have never heard her talking about wanting that."
"But isn’t it obvious?" asked Midnight, confused. "I mean, she has called six mates, two AIs, one nightmare, and one Istar bunny in some way or other. If she was really okay with being alone, I don’t think that would happen."
"What are you saying?" asked Da’kea, putting his drink down on the coffee table and giving the other male his undivided attention.
"I am saying that her genetic code is literally screaming out for her to be around people, to draw them in in some way, shape, or form. I don’t think she could handle being on a ship for the rest of her life with only us and our children."
"Then what do we do?" asked Raguk, speaking up for the first time.
