Alien Tango

see what the American Immigrant experience was like. Those who came over held onto the old ways, but their children, and especially their children’s children, rebelled and took on American ways.”
    “But we’re different,” Lucinda said quietly.
    “No, actually, you’re not. Not in the ways that matter.” I looked around for Gower. He was near Martini. “Paul, what does ACE think?”
    Gower shook his head. “I’ll let him answer.” He twitched. “ACE is confused why anyone would not want Kitty. Kitty saved world, saved ACE, saved everyone at the Space Center. Jeff loves Kitty, why is that wrong?”
    “I’m a human and they’re A-Cs, ACE.”
    Gower’s head shook. “Not so different. Come from same origins.” There were gasps in the room.
    I looked at Martini. “I knew it. ACE, our common ancestors, were they the Ancients?”
    Gower shook his head again. “No. But helped. Helped evolutions.”
    “Yeah. We can breed pretty true, so there has to be something back there. Basic genetic theory.” I turned back to Martini’s parents. “So, it’s a simple decision. Are we in or out? Because I’m freaking starving, and either I get some goddamned meat loaf or at least a roll, or I start eating small children, of which, thankfully, you have a large supply.”
    I felt a tug at my leg. One of the littler kids was standing there. “You’re funny,” she said with a giggle. “Are you really gonna eat one of us?”
    “Yep.” I picked her up and made loud eating sounds near her neck. She squealed with laughter. I looked at Lucinda. “Seriously. Make a decision. She’s awful tender.”
    Barbara snarled. “I say, get out.”
    Lucinda looked at her. “I beg your pardon? This is my house, and you are a guest in it. As such, you don’t tell my son or any other guests what to do.”
    “I’m his future mother-in-law,” Barbara argued.
    “Bet me.”
    I saw it coming. Barbara lost it and lunged for me. I had a kid in my arms, but kung fu trained you for many things, and I already had her on my hip. I shoved Doreen to the side, leaped out of the way, and gave the back of Barbara’s neck a really vicious chop with the side of my hand. She went facedown on the floor and stayed there.
    “That was fun, can we do it again?” the little girl asked.
    “What’s your name?”
    “I’m Kimberly and I’m three.”
    “Nice to meet you Kimberly, I’m Kitty.”
    “Are you gonna marry my Uncle Jeff?”
    “That’s the issue of the day, there, Kimmie.”
    “Kimberly,” Lucinda corrected.
    I looked at Lucinda. “Which do you prefer, Kimberly, Kim, Kimmie?”
    “I like Kimmie!”
    “Then Kimmie it is. Lucinda—if you don’t want me calling you Luci and giving every single person in this house not one, not two, but at least three nicknames each, don’t correct me. Ever again.” I looked back at Kimmie. “And, really, what we are or aren’t going to do is no one’s business but mine and your Uncle Jeff’s.”
    “Okay. Will you sit by me at dinner?”
    “If we ever see dinner before midnight, sure.” I looked back at Lucinda. “Seriously. Make a choice. I’m gonna eat the kid raw.” Kimmie giggled.
    “Dinner will be on the table in five minutes,” she said quietly. Then she turned and went into the kitchen. The other women, other than Claudia, Lorraine, and Doreen, went with her.
    Barbara started to come around. “Someone keep her away from me, or I’m going to pretend she’s Beverly and go to town.”
    One of the men I hadn’t been introduced to wandered in, looked down, and sighed. “She gets like this.”
    “Daddy,” Doreen said, “I’m marrying Irving!”
    “Fine, fine. I heard the proclamations.” He looked at me. “You’re going to destroy our race, you know.”
    “No, actually, I’m going to save it. But I don’t expect you to understand. Closed minds, brilliant or not, can’t comprehend new ideas.”
    He picked Barbara up and left. I hoped they were leaving for real, but who knew? I figured I’d better be prepared for Barbara to come up behind me with a butcher knife.
    “So, we staying?” Martini asked me. “She didn’t apologize.”
    I shrugged. “I don’t care. Food is here.”
    He nodded. “Fine.” Martini looked at his father. “Thanks for the head’s up.”
    Alfred shook his head. “I had no idea they were really going to try to go through with it. Been a little distracted the last day or so.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, Kitty. I apologize on behalf