Alien in the Family

situation in the entire Alpha Centauri solar system. Or,” he added with a grin, “I have the view Leonidas wants me to have.”
    “He is a politician,” Martini said. “You sure you can trust anything he told you?”
    “Most of it correlates to what we’ve been told already. I’ll confirm the rest with the Planetary Council. I assume they’re staying for the wedding?”
    “Yeah, because—”
    “You’re out of bridesmaid options, and they all know what’s going on,” Chuckie finished for me.
    “Right as always!” I’d said that too cheerfully, if Martini’s low growl was any indication. “But I need one more,” I added quickly, before the growling got louder. “Be right back. Behave,” I added to Martini as I raced off. Hey, I’d had enough fighting for one night.
    I looked around, found her, and trotted over. “Serene, you willing to be one of my bridesmaids?”
    She looked shocked out of her mind and pleased beyond belief. “Really? You really want me? After all the . . . stuff . . . from six months ago?”
    “You were drugged. Jeff was too, and I still want him. So, yeah. I didn’t ask before because I had no idea Jeff was going insane with the groomsmen numbers.” I looked at Brian, whose head was in her lap. He was still hurt, but he looked as though he might pull through. “Bri, I don’t care if Jeff begs you. Unless James or I say yes, you are to say no if he asks you to be a groomsman. Oh, and stop playing dead.”
    “Got it.” He grinned. “I just like how Serene takes care of me.”
    She giggled. “I like it. And, yes, Kitty, thank you so much for asking me!”
    “Thank you so much for saying yes. Oh, and, I’d like you to join Airborne, while I’m thinking about it.”
    “Why? I’m a scientist.”
    “You’re an explosives expert and the only A-C capable of seeing through both shapeshifters and imageers with an overlay on. I call those vitally strategic skills we need at the highest levels. You can fool around in the lab on the off days.”
    “You ever stop with the hiring?” Reader asked.
    “You find the talent, you grab the talent before the competition does.”
    “Right. Reminds me, we need a good story for your family.”
    “Ugh. Let’s get everyone healed up or at least headed that way first.” An impressive number of Dazzlers were appearing out of nowhere. They fanned out and started doing very fast things. Gurneys appeared. All my pilots were loaded onto them, with much whining and complaining. Tim and Christopher were also gurneyed up with a lot more whining and complaining.
    Tito was in great shape and having a field day. He’d already been taking care of the flyboys and was trotting around explaining injuries and symptoms.
    Animal Planet got gurneys, too. “What are we going to do about the ships?”
    Chuckie sauntered over. “Already handled. If you folks would be so good as to cloak them again, the C.I.A. will ensure no one comes by to disturb them.”
    “Just to put tracking devices on them?” Neeraj asked.
    Chuckie smiled. “Of course not.”
    Jareen nodded “Because they’re already on.”
    Chuckie shrugged. “It’s a living.”
    I heard some bellowing. Martini was being forced onto a gurney. “Excuse me.” I trotted over. “Jeff, stop it.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with me!”
    “Claudia had to harpoon you. I’m sure Kyrellis at least cracked some of your ribs. If what we’re expecting is coming, wouldn’t it be nice to go into isolation now, so that, you know, you’re awake, alive, and functioning?”
    “But I don’t want to leave you alone.”
    “I’ll keep James with me, okay? Or the girls. I have to find a dress. Trust me, I’ll be busy.” The panic about the dress hit again.
    He caught it, of course. Strangely enough, it calmed him down. “Okay. You’ll be okay?”
    “Yes. Does Harlie go into the isolation tank with you?”
    “No. Out of the pocket, take care of Kitty.”
    Harlie crawled out, rubbed up against Martini’s neck and chin, purring like mad, then jumped to me and hopped into my purse.
    Martini pulled me to him and kissed me. “You be good.”
    “I’ll do my best, Jeff.”
    He stroked my face. “I wanted to go back and take a bath.”
    I laughed. “If we’re really getting married in about a day and a half, then you’ll have to wait anyway.”
    He kissed me again. I was ready to let him take me here in front of everyone. Truly, the man was the god of kissing.
    Martini pulled away slowly