The doctor wanted me to impregnate one of the two alien girls that we had adopted. The sexual part of that scenario was more than an inviting notion. Having the elfish beauty's belly poked out with a half human baby was disconcerting, despite Vanilla's claims that everything would be okay. How could she even claim that when she was just starting to study the anatomy of this exotic treasure?
"She'll pass as human if everyone keeps their distance," Strawberry announced. "That is certainly better than I can say for Teddy."
"That's okay," I replied with a grin. "He'll be acting like my pet instead."
"Neither option is appealing," Teddy grumbled in his typical disgruntled voice.
"I could leave you behind..."
"No, no. I'll play the role," Teddy declared. "Just promise that there will be no petting or talking to me like a baby."
I agreed, but Aeren took the opportunity to squat her tall slim form down in front of him. Though sexy as all hell, she did look motherly. Patting him on the head, the hooded elf witch said with exaggerated baby talk, "I will make no such promise."
Strawberry and I burst out laughing. Teddy just slumped his shoulders as he glared at me. At least he didn't swat away her hand or threaten her. He knew that Aeren was in a similar place as himself. An intelligent alien creature on a human ship, trying to find her way in a strange new world. His keen sense of things held his tongue. In some ways, he was the most stable of all of us.
"No cradling then," Teddy told the robed beauty.
After a good laugh I reminded him of the plan to stay close to me. Climb up onto my shoulders a few times just to sell the act. And absolutely no talking.
"The witch gets to talk," he objected.
"She's not pretending to be a pet," I answered.
"Besides, I'm leaning more toward the elf assassin character," she told him. I knew from experience that was a role that could earn her an academy award. Not just the look, but also the skill set.
When Aeren stopped in the walkway toward the lift that connected us to the station, she stared in awe at the vastness of space through one of the small pill shaped windows. I waited patiently, fully appreciating what she must be going through. Her kind did not travel the stars or even realize that it was possible.
I noticed that Teddy was interested in seeing the view, too. But his pride kept him from asking me to lift him up. Eventually he gave into his desire and tugged on Aeren's long robe.
"May I?" he asked respectfully when she glanced down.
With a motherly smile she nodded and extended her hand. Teddy used it to propel himself up onto her shoulder where he could see through the tiny window. When Aeren reached for him with both hands he allowed himself to held in her arms. That was an image that I never thought that I would see.
"It is amazing," Aeren voiced her admiration.
"The fact that we can see part of the station and one spaceship in motion adds incredibly to the impact of the view," Teddy responded, trying to sound less awestruck.
"Will there be windows like this on the station?" Aeren asked eagerly.
"Not many," I told her as I thought back to my last two visits. I didn't recall ever being able to look outside. It made me wonder why.
"You can stare at space all you want when we return," Strawberry told them, her patience finally wearing thin. "There is lots more to see inside the station. Try to act less bedazzled by it if you can. Otherwise, you are going to stand out as dirt monkeys."
"Monkeys?" Teddy asked with a rare raise in his voice. He resembled that remark as much as he resented it.
"Sorry, that is a term we spacers use for planetary dwellers. No offense. Can we go now?"
I walked slow to give the two newbies a chance to look around inconspicuously on the dock level. In my mind there wasn't much to see. Cinnamon was busy using the loader to stack our outgoing cargo in the appropriate section for pick up. Teddy had seen it in use a few times before, up close and personal during a battle sequence. But Aeren had not.
Strawberry was a fast walker naturally. I was easily able to keep pace with her when I wasn't intentionally going slow. In our current situation she found herself stopping and waiting for us several times. I decided to use a trick to keep her at our pace. It was one that a couple of my girlfriends had used on me when strolling through a mall.
When I reached out and took the redhead's tiny hand in mine, she stared at me like I had gone crazy. I laced my fingers though hers and continued on my casual stride.
"Am I Cinnamon now?" she asked. "Holding your hand everywhere that you go?"
"No," I answered, glancing back to make sure Teddy wasn't getting into any trouble. I trusted Aeren more than him despite her lack of exposure to the world on a galactic scale. "You could never take Cinnamon's place. And that's okay. You are special in your own way, and so is our relationship. We can hold hands sometimes, can't we?"
"I guess so," she answered as she squirmed a little. The gesture was making her much more uncomfortable than I had expected. "I've never really held hands with a man before."
"Oh, I didn't know that. How about girls? Have you held hands with any
