"This was a prank, pure and simple," the President said, speaking from her plane. "My phone was stolen by someone who is accompanying me on this tour, and they used it to send that offensive email. Though no one has confessed to the crime, our team is looking into it, and I will be more careful with my personal belongings in the future. What the American people must keep in mind is that this is a distraction from the more important issue of planetary evacuation..."

Tierney shut the TV off. She'd already watched Nelle's complete remarks a few times, each time wishing she could wring Jonas's thick neck.

Of all the times for a power grab, now was the worst possible choice. According to the polls, half of the country still didn't believe the Relicans were even really aliens, and the majority of those who did believe didn't trust them enough to put their fates in the Relicans' hands. At least the Vice President was helping on that front -- he was more than happy to go on any show that would have him and talk about how he'd "looked the aliens in the eye" and "seen Earth from their ship." He took every opportunity to praise the Relicans and their advanced technology, no doubt hoping the aliens would reward him somehow for his early acceptance of them.

Tierney reluctantly finished the last swig of her bland protein shake dinner and went back to her computer, but the words blurred in front of her. Even if she'd gotten more than a few hours' sleep, she'd still be wiped from answering frantic emails and phone calls from governors all day.

Her phone rang, and she eyed it warily, but it was Clementine. She still hadn't returned her little sister's call from the night before, so she picked it up.

"Hey."

"You were supposed to call me!" was Clementine's reply. "This is insane! Tell me everything! Are they nice? Are they telepathic? Do they have holodecks? Do they really have five penises?"

"What? Who said that?"

"Some idiot I met in bio last semester. I told him you'd know."

Tierney lay down on her couch, considering calling it a day. "To answer your questions -- in order: kind of, not that I'm aware of, kind of, and I'm pretty sure no."

"Pretty sure?"

With a laugh, she said, "Well I didn't see any of them naked, but you saw the super tight uniforms they wear. I think that if they had have five penises, we would see evidence of that."

Fluffing up her throw pillow, she said, "How are Mom and Dad? Are they okay with all this?"

"Dad was freaked out at first, but after the press conference -- how much of a tool is Grant, btw? -- he was totally psyched. He can't wait to go on their planet-ship thing and see the new Earth."

"And Mom?"

"You know how she is: suspicious, skeptical, but even she felt a little better after seeing you on TV. She totally spazzed when they said you were on their ship! Dad's so jealous."

Tierney yawned and was about to end the call when her sister said, "Stephanie lost her virginity today."

Tierney froze. "Stephanie? Your best friend, Stephanie?"

"Yeah. She said it could be the end of the world and she doesn't want to die a virgin and all that."

"Okay..." Tierney wasn't sure how to process that information. Sure, her sister was nineteen and technically an adult, but the idea of her having sex was almost as crazy as... well, aliens being real.

"I told her I'm still waiting. Maybe I'll sign up to be an Asteroid Mate."

There was a grin in her little sister's voice, but Tierney shot up. "Don't you even joke about that. The whole idea is revolting."

"Why? That commander's hot. If they all look like him, I wouldn't be completely averse to the concept."

"Hot? He's silver! He's literally almost half metal."

"Really? That's good to know. I wonder if that makes the sex even better."

"Clem!" Tierney cried.

"And so what if he's silver? It's just another skin color."

Tierney was speechless. Even her baby sister was considering subjecting herself to the Relicans' sexual whims. Before she could say anything more on the matter, her sister changed the subject.

"There are a bunch of big rallies planned tomorrow to welcome the Relicans. Me and a bunch of my friends are going to the one at City Hall."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Tierney said, finding her voice. "There are a lot of frightened people out there. If you watched the press conference, then you know that some people even think that the President and all of us are under Relican mind control. All it takes is one crazy guy with a gun to make a peaceful rally like that a bloodbath."

She could almost hear Clementine rolling her eyes. "That's what Mom said, but I think it's important to show the aliens that we're not all intolerant xenophobes."

"Don't go, Clem, please. Promise me."

"If you trust them, then we should all trust them," her little sister protested. "It's a show of support for Nelle as much as it's for the Relicans."

"It's not a matter of trust." Tierney pressed her forehead against her palm. "They're telling the truth about the asteroid, and we need their help to get us to safety, but they could still have bad intentions. The President is working on contingency plans in case that happens, but in the meantime, we all need to be careful. Besides, the Relicans aren't the only dangerous people around."

Her sister didn't reply.

"Clem? Can you please promise me you'll stay home tomorrow?"

She wished her family were closer, so she could drive home and keep an eye on her sister. But the reality was that even if they were five minutes down the road, there was no way Tierney couldn't be in the office tomorrow, not with everyone going on.

"Fine," Clementine said with a groan. "But you have to swear to text me if you find out any other juicy tidbits about these guys."

Letting out a silent sigh of relief, Tierney said, "I swear. And don't sign up to be an Asteroid Mate volunteer either!"

"What? Wait, you're breaking up."

Tierney couldn't help but laugh at her sister's fake white noise sounds and mock signal drop.

"Tiern-- can't he-- alk late--" The call ended, and Tierney stared at her phone.

Hot? Her sister thought Commander Corwin was hot? Sure, Tierney had noticed his immaculate physique and soulful eyes and mesmerizing skin... but he was still an alien. An alien. They could be lying about everything.

Although, Tierney was surprised to find that she was starting to trust him. Maybe it was the epic planning session they'd had. Even though he'd seemed kind of on edge the whole time, everything he said had the ring of truth to it. His reaction to that fake email was a point in his favor as well, both repulsed by the content and shutting down Jonas's attempt to slander Nelle.

And then there had been that weird moment in the cafeteria. Tierney closed her eyes, breathing in the memory of his metallic scent.

What am I doing?

She shook her head clear of all of the conflicting thoughts and feelings, and plugged in her phone. Shutting her computer off, she pulled her overnight bag out and got ready for bed. Double-checking that her door was locked, she undressed and climbed under her blanket. Lying on her side, she stared out her windows at the starry night, still hardly believing that there were thousands of Relicans looking back down at her, watching the Earth spin.

Even though she wouldn't have admitted it to anyone -- even herself -- she felt better knowing that Commander Corwin was one of them.

* * *

He needed to see her again.

All day, Tausson had gone through the motions -- speaking with the Chief, inspecting the cart, sitting in on a briefing with Control -- not to mention all of the mundane tasks related to being a vessel commander. Throughout all of this, Miss Dawson had remained with him, a ghost, following him wherever he went, whispering in his ear. Twice he'd caught himself fantasizing about her so vividly that his body had threatened to reveal him. Both times he'd managed to escape into the disposal chamber and calm himself with an icy shower.

Now, alone in his lodge, his mechasuit tossed aside, the desire to see her, to touch her, to smell her, was driving him mad. When he finally did meet with her on Earth, he wasn't sure he would be able to control himself. He knew he needed to satisfy his urges, but he feared where that single step might lead.

His culture was full of parables like those of the Lecherous Bronze, the Wayward Silver, and the Pleasured Gold, all of whom succumbed to the vice of lust. Some of these foolish characters engaged in unsanctioned, unmonitored pairings, while others satisfied their craving by their own hand, but the result was always the same: war, ruin, shame. Frenzied Relican children -- and Tausson had been no different -- hoarded these parables, seeking instruction on how to slake their unceasing urges. As they grew out of that wanton phase, however, the stories became their guides in a different way, offering truth, warning against seeking pleasure simply for pleasure's sake.

If he gave in, if he gave relief to his throbbing organ, would that be the first step down a path that led to ruin? Instead of calming his passion, would it simply encourage it?

He decided on a compromise. He would see her, but he wouldn't satisfy himself physically. Perhaps the mere sight of her would quell the storm.

Although it was against every first contact directive, not to mention his promise to her earlier that day, Tausson slipped his arm inside his mechasuit and accessed Miss Dawson's phone without her permission. Aspri might get some sporadic bio signs, but it was late enough that they could be explained away by a vivid dream.

The square screen appeared, and the light from her phone was enough to illuminate her sleeping figure. He recognized her office. She was sleeping on the very same couch he had sat on. She shifted, turning away from the camera, and Tausson caught his breath as the movement caused the blanket to expose her back.

The only women Tausson had ever seen naked were the two humans from the video that Elic had brought up onto the sightscreen. Relican mates wore special pairing cloaks that hid each other's bodies, so even though Tausson had paired with thirteen women, including four Asteroid Mates, he'd never seen more than her face and hands. But even that revealing footage of the two women was nowhere near as intimate as the scene before him.

From the nape of her neck to the first gentle curve of her behind, Miss Dawson's magnificent body was revealing itself to him. Her luxurious hair spilled off the couch and grazed the floor, and Tausson squeezed himself, moaning at the rush of pleasure.

This was more than he'd bargained for. He felt the prick of shame at seeing her like this, uninvited. But his body cried for release.

The faster I get through it, the sooner I can stop this madness.

Jerking his arm out of the sleeve of his mechasuit, he turned on his shower and jumped into its heat. With the image of Tierney's naked body fresh in his mind, he pictured the two of them, their bodies intertwined as the two women's had been.

His wet fingers, pressed against his lips, were Tierney's. His hand, wrapped around himself, was Tierney's warm, wet entry, sliding back and forth upon his swollen organ. He brought his other hand between his thighs to fondle the bulging sacs of seed, and his legs quivered, because it was Tierney's hand caressing him.

Supporting himself against the slippery wall, he thrust deep into Tierney's body. Many of his mates had not been able to take all of him, but Tierney could. He buried himself inside her and still she asked for more. Tierney was around him, on him, in him, and the aching, maddening hunger within him roared as he gave her all of himself. His seed burst forth into her, filling her.

As his legs gave out, unable to support the weight of his pleasure, the only sound that he could make, the only sound that deserved such unfettered joy and freedom was a single whispered name.

"Tierney..."