16. Epilogue

Every time I had to leave the Blacksands Institute of Alien Studies was agonizing, and my return such a relief that I breathed easier as I got out of the flier. The university was still small, of course, just a few prefab buildings, but they were permanent buildings, not just the fancy tents we'd started with.

This out of the way desert location would never support a huge campus, but for studying xenoarchaeology, nowhere beat Blacksands. Not just because we were right on top of an Ancient tomb complex, but because of our ‘guest lecturer.'

Kal'va was with a group of students when I found him, doing his best to explain the functions of a stone pillar laced with nanocircuits. It was slow, laborious work—being part of the Ancient civilization didn't mean he could explain it to outsiders, and my mate was working across cultural lines. He was still the best source of information on the Ancients anyone had, and it turned out he enjoyed teaching.

One day it would distract him enough to let me sneak up on him. This wasn't that day. As I walked quietly up behind him, he gave no sign he'd noticed, until at the last moment he spun around and swept me into a powerful kiss.

The students hooted encouragement. When Kal'va set me down, my face red as the sunset, I put my hands on my hips and tried my best to glare.

"That's completely inappropriate," I said, breathless and flustered.

"Only saying that because you didn't get to pounce on me, Tal'ia," he replied, infuriatingly accurate. I tried to hide my smile, but there was nothing I could do about my blush. To make matters worse, the students shouted encouragement.

"It's Doctor Tal'ia now, anyway," I said to another cheer. Kal'va laughed with delight, grabbing me again and spinning me around in his arms, gathering me close.

"This is wonderful. Did not doubt you would ‘defend your thesis'—" not quite true, he'd tried to come with me or at the very least convince me to take a hidden weapon "—but you are now acknowledged scholar-ruler? Wonderful."

"Kal'va, love of my life and fire of my heart, we have got to teach you how human civilization works." I laughed and kissed his nose, then leaned in to whisper into his ear. "That's not the best news I have, anyway."

He growled and squeezed me, making me laugh again. "For someone who's lived tens of thousands of years, you have remarkably little patience, my love."

"Tell me," he said, and I relented.

"I checked with the doctors—the medical doctors—while I was up there," I whispered. "And they confirmed it. I'm pregnant."

"Truly?" Kal'va sounded stunned and loosened his grip as though afraid he'd hurt the baby. A slow, delighted smile blossomed like a sunrise, warming me in its glow. He didn't wait for me to answer before throwing his head back to howl in triumph.

Instead of putting me down, he put me over his shoulder with gentle care, and turned toward the tomb. "Human technology is too primitive. Our crypt has better."

I raised my head to wave at his students as he carried me off. "Class dismissed?"

With that, my alien warmachine carried me off into our shared future.

The End