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Alien Billionaire's Daughter Wakes Up Pregnant After One Night With a Poor Human... | HFY
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00:00Alien Billionaire's Daughter Wakes Up Pregnant After One Night With A Poor Human
00:03The Platinum Nebula was the kind of place where the galaxy's elite came to forget who they were.
00:10Nestled in the heart of New Proxima's financial district,
00:13its entrance gleamed with holographic chandeliers that dripped virtual diamonds onto the heads of arriving patrons.
00:20For Lena Texnari, sole heiress to the Texnari interstellar conglomerate,
00:26it was the only place she could breathe.
00:27Tonight, she slipped through the club's quantum scan entrance,
00:31her pearl-white dress flowing like liquid mercury around her slender form.
00:36The fabric, harvested from the silk-producing creatures of Epsilon Nine,
00:41cost more than most humans earned in a year.
00:44Her lilac skin caught the pulsing lights,
00:46giving her an almost ethereal glow as she moved through the crowd.
00:50The usual Lady Texnari? asked the bartender, a four-armed centurion with metallic scales.
00:55Double, Lena replied, her silvery hair cascading down her back as she took a seat at the bar.
01:01And please, just Lena tonight.
01:03She'd perfected this ritual.
01:05Arrive alone, drink alone, leave alone.
01:08The weight of being her mother's daughter,
01:10a matriarch, Aynara Texnari,
01:13whose business empire spanned 17 star systems,
01:16was temporarily lifted in these moments of anonymity.
01:19Rough day in the family business.
01:22The bartender placed a glass of iridescent blue liquid before her.
01:27Lena took a long sip, feeling the warmth spread through her chest.
01:30Mother wants me to take over the Orion division.
01:33Says it's time I stopped playing at Independence.
01:36Um, most would kill for that opportunity.
01:39Most haven't lived their entire lives as someone's puppet.
01:43She downed the rest of her drink.
01:45Another.
01:45Three drinks later, the club's atmosphere had shifted from exclusive to excessive.
01:51Lena checked her chronometer.
01:522.37 local time.
01:54She needed to leave before the real debauchery began.
01:57Her mother's spies were everywhere.
01:59And while Aynara tolerated her daughter's visits to upscale establishments,
02:03even her patience had limits.
02:05Outside, the night air was cool against her skin.
02:09New Proxima's twin artificial moons cast an eerie glow over the city's spires.
02:14Lena dismissed her driver hours ago, preferring to walk the short distance to her penthouse.
02:20The financial district was safe, patrolled by private security drones,
02:25and populated by the wealthy, even at this hour.
02:27Or so she thought.
02:29She was halfway down Stellar Avenue when she heard them.
02:32Footsteps.
02:34Too many.
02:34And too quick.
02:35Before she could activate her emergency beacon, three figures emerged from an alley.
02:41Their features were obscured by light-bending mass, military-grade tech, illegal in civilian sectors.
02:48Well, well, hissed a voice.
02:49Look what we found.
02:51A pretty little Texnari, all alone.
02:54Lena's hand moved to her clutch where a small defensive stunner lay hidden.
02:59I'm not carrying much cash.
03:01Take my jewelry and go.
03:02The tallest figure laughed.
03:04We know exactly who you are, princess.
03:07And your mother will pay handsomely to get you back.
03:10Kidnapping.
03:11Not simple robbery.
03:13Lena's heart hammered against her ribs as the realization hit her.
03:17The Texnari family had enemies across the galaxy.
03:21Competitors they'd crushed.
03:22Planets they'd exploited.
03:24This was revenge wrapped in a profit motive.
03:27The leader lunged forward, grabbing her arm.
03:29The diamond bracelet at her wrist sent out a distress signal.
03:32Standard security for Texnari family members.
03:35But help would take minutes to arrive.
03:37Minutes she didn't have.
03:39Let her go.
03:40The voice came from behind them.
03:42Deep, commanding, undeniably human.
03:45The kidnappers turned, momentarily distracted.
03:48Lena saw him then.
03:49Tall, broad-shouldered.
03:51Dressed in worn clothing that had seen better days.
03:53His face was partially shadowed by a hood.
03:56But she caught the flash of intense brown eyes.
03:58And the set of his jaw.
04:00Determined, fearless.
04:02Mind your business, human.
04:03Spat one of the kidnappers.
04:05This doesn't concern your kind.
04:07The human's mouth curved into a dangerous smile.
04:10I'm making it my concern.
04:12What happened next was a blur of motion.
04:14The human moved with a speed that belied his size.
04:17His fist connecting with the leader's face mask.
04:20Cracking it down the middle.
04:21The second attacker pulled a Vibro knife, its edge humming with energy.
04:25But the human was faster, catching the attacker's wrist and twisting until something snapped.
04:31The third kidnapper fired a pulse weapon, missing the human by inches.
04:35The energy bolt hit a nearby advertisement display, sending glass and sparks raining down.
04:41Using the distraction, the human grabbed a piece of broken metal and hurled it with deadly accuracy, striking the gunman's hand.
04:48In less than 30 seconds, all three attackers were on the ground.
04:52The human stood over them, breathing heavily, knuckles bloody.
04:56You okay?
04:57He asked, turning to Lena.
04:59Up close, she could see him clearly.
05:02Young, perhaps 24 or 25 by human standards.
05:06His skin was tanned from actual sunlight, not the synthetic kind used in tanning salons.
05:11A small scar crossed his right eyebrow.
05:14His clothes were cheap but clean.
05:17Everything about him screamed lower-class human, yet he'd just taken down three-armed assailants without breaking a sweat.
05:23I...
05:24Yes, Lena managed, suddenly aware of how she must look.
05:28A terrified alien aristocrat clutching her designer purse.
05:34He nodded, then glanced at the fallen attackers.
05:36These guys won't stay down long.
05:39You got somewhere safe to go?
05:41Lena's mind raced.
05:42Her penthouse was still ten minutes away.
05:44Her security team would be searching for her based on the bracelet's signal.
05:48But they'd be looking in the wrong direction.
05:51She deviated from her usual route home.
05:53I can call someone, she said, reaching for her comm device.
05:57A groan from one of the attackers made them both tense.
06:00No time, yeah?
06:01The human said, taking her hand.
06:02Come on!
06:03Before she could protest, he was pulling her down the street, away from the financial district, and toward the edges of what humans called the Sprawl, the less-developed, predominantly human section of New Proxima.
06:17Lena had never set foot there.
06:19She'd seen it only from her private shuttle, a patchwork of aging buildings and makeshift structures that housed the city's working class.
06:26Most were humans who'd come to New Proxima, seeking opportunity, only to find themselves trapped in low-paying jobs serving the alien elite.
06:35Where are we going?
06:37She asked, struggling to keep up in her impractical shoes.
06:40Somewhere they won't look for you, he replied, his grip firm but not painful.
06:45Trust me.
06:46And strangely, despite everything she'd been taught about humans, their unpredictability, their emotional nature, their primitive technology, Lena did.
06:57The Sprawl was nothing like Lena had imagined.
07:00From her penthouse, it had looked like a uniform mass of gray and brown.
07:04But on the ground, it pulsed with life.
07:06Makeshift market stalls lined narrow streets, selling everything from salvaged tech to street food that filled the air with unfamiliar spices.
07:14Humans of all shapes and sizes moved through the crowds, occasionally casting curious glances at the odd pair, a lilac-skinned alien aristocrat and her human protector.
07:25Not much further, the human said, guiding her down an alley adorned with strings of mismatched lights.
07:32I'm Nate, by the way.
07:33Nate Reeves.
07:35Lena, she replied, deliberately omitting her family name.
07:39He smiled a quick flash of white teeth against tan skin.
07:42Just, Lena, for tonight.
07:46They climbed five flights of stairs in a building that had clearly seen better centuries.
07:50The lift, Nate explained, worked when it felt like it, which wasn't often.
07:54His apartment was at the end of a narrow hallway, secured with a surprisingly sophisticated biometric lock.
08:01Military grade, Lena observed as he pressed his palm to the scanner.
08:05Nate's expression tightened.
08:06Salvaged, salvaged, I do repair work.
08:09The door slid open to reveal a small but meticulously organized space.
08:14One room served as kitchen, living area, and workspace, with a narrow doorway leading to what Lena presumed was a bedroom.
08:22Tools and electronic components covered a workbench by the window, which offered a stunning view of New Proxima's skyline.
08:28The same tower she usually looked down from.
08:32It's not much, Nate said, suddenly self-conscious.
08:35But it's safe.
08:36Those guys won't find you here.
08:38Lena moved to the window, taking in the reversed perspective of her world.
08:42How can you be sure?
08:44The sprawl protects its own.
08:46He shrugged off his jacket, revealing a simple black t-shirt that did little to hide his muscular build.
08:51And humans stick together in this city.
08:55She turned to face him, suddenly aware of how out of place she must look.
08:59Her dress, her jewelry, even her skin.
09:02Everything about her screamed wealth and privilege in a place where such things were scarce.
09:06Why did you help me?
09:07She asked.
09:09Nate busied himself at a small kitchenette.
09:11You needed it.
09:13Most humans in the sprawl would say I deserve whatever happens to me.
09:16The Texnari name isn't exactly beloved here.
09:19He paused a container of water halfway to an ancient heating unit.
09:24So, you are a Texnari.
09:27Would that have changed your decision?
09:29No, his answer came without hesitation.
09:32Though it might explain why those weren't ordinary street thugs.
09:36Your family has some serious enemies.
09:38Lena sank onto a worn couch, suddenly exhausted.
09:41The adrenaline that had carried her through the attack was fading, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness.
09:46My mother has enemies.
09:49I'm just collateral.
09:52Nate placed a steaming cup before her.
09:55Tea.
09:56Real tea.
09:57Not that synthesized crap they serve uptown.
10:00The liquid was dark and fragrant.
10:02Nothing like the precisely calibrated beverages served in the financial district.
10:07Lena took a cautious sip, surprised by its rich complexity.
10:11It's good, she admitted.
10:13One of the few Earth imports worth the tariffs.
10:16Nate settled into a chair across from her, studying her with those intense brown eyes.
10:21So, what's the plan?
10:22I'm guessing you've got security people looking for you.
10:26Lena touched her bracelet, which had gone silent.
10:29The signal's blocked here.
10:30Too much interference in the sprawl.
10:33Convenient, Nate said with a half-smile.
10:35Though they'll track your last known location, eventually.
10:38By morning, probably, she hesitated.
10:41I should go back.
10:43Not tonight.
10:44Those guys are still out there.
10:46The thought sent a chill through her.
10:48Not fear for herself, but for this human who'd risked his life for a stranger.
10:53A Texanari, no less.
10:54You could have been killed, she said softly.
10:57Nate shrugged.
10:58Wouldn't be the first time I've tangled with your kind security.
11:02They weren't security, they were...
11:04She trailed off, unsure how to explain the complex web of corporate espionage and revenge
11:10that defined her world.
11:11I know what they were, Nate said, his voice hardening.
11:15I've seen their type before.
11:17Ex-military, probably Centurion or Rigelian, based on their fighting style.
11:22Professional kidnappers.
11:25Lena stared at him.
11:26How would you know that?
11:28A shadow crossed his face.
11:30Let's just say, I wasn't always a repair tech.
11:34The revelation hung between them, adding another layer to the mystery of Nate Reeves.
11:39Lena found herself studying him more closely.
11:41The way he moved with controlled precision.
11:44The scars on his hands that spoke of more than just repair work.
11:48The alertness in his eyes that never fully disappeared.
11:51You're not what I expected, she admitted.
11:53From a human in the sprawl.
11:55From anyone.
11:57Something shifted in the air between them.
11:59The room seemed smaller, suddenly.
12:02The distance between them charged with an energy Lena couldn't name.
12:06Or rather, wouldn't name.
12:08Because the feeling coursing through her veins wasn't entirely unfamiliar.
12:13It was attraction, pure and simple.
12:15But magnified to an intensity that left her breathless.
12:19She'd heard the rumors, of course.
12:21How human pheromones affected certain alien physiologies.
12:24Particularly her proximate females.
12:26How the chemical composition of human sweat contained compounds that mimicked proximate mating signals.
12:32She'd dismissed them as xenophobic propaganda.
12:35Designed to keep the species separate.
12:37Now sitting across from Nate in his modest apartment.
12:40She wasn't so sure.
12:42You should rest, he said.
12:43Breaking the tension.
12:44Take the bed.
12:45I'll keep watch.
12:47I couldn't.
12:47You can and you will.
12:49His tone broke no argument.
12:51Rich girl like you probably never slept on a couch in her life.
12:55The teasing note in his voice made her smile despite herself.
12:59You'd be surprised what I've done.
13:02Their eyes met.
13:03And something electric passed between them.
13:06Nate was the first to look away.
13:08Bathroom's through there if you need it.
13:10He said, gesturing to a door beside the bedroom.
13:13I've got a spare shirt you can sleep in.
13:15As Lena changed out of her evening dress and into Nate's oversized shirt, she caught her reflection in a cracked mirror.
13:23Without her designer clothes and jewelry, with her silver hair loose around her shoulders and her feet bare on the worn floor, she looked different.
13:34Less like a Tex Nari heiress and more like just Lena.
13:38It was terrifying.
13:39It was exhilarating.
13:40When she emerged, Nate was at the window, keeping watch over the sprawl.
13:45The city lights played across his profile, highlighting the strong line of his jaw, the alertness in his posture.
13:51Thank you, she said simply.
13:53For everything.
13:55He turned and the look in his eyes made her heart race.
13:59Get some sleep, princess.
14:01Tomorrow's going to be complicated.
14:03As she lay in his bed, surrounded by the unfamiliar scent of him, Lena knew he was right.
14:08Tomorrow would bring security teams, explanations, a return to her world of privilege and politics.
14:15But tonight, in this small apartment in the sprawl, with a human stranger standing guard, she felt something she hadn't experienced in years.
14:24She felt free.
14:25Sleep eluded Lena.
14:27The unfamiliar sounds of the sprawl filtered through the thin walls of Nate's apartment.
14:33A distant laughter, the hum of hovercrafts, the music from neighboring units.
14:38So different from the carefully soundproofed luxury of her penthouse.
14:42She lay in his bed, surrounded by his scent.
14:45Earthy, distinctly human, intoxicating.
14:48After an hour of restless tossing, she gave up.
14:53Wrapping herself in a thin blanket over his borrowed shirt, she padded barefoot into the main room.
14:58Nate stood exactly where she'd left him, a silhouette against the city lights.
15:03He'd removed his shirt in the warm night air, revealing a back mapped with scars.
15:08Some surgical, others clearly from combat.
15:11The sight of his bare skin sent a flutter through her that had nothing to do with fear.
15:16Can't sleep?
15:17He asked without turning.
15:18How did you know it was me?
15:20He glanced over his shoulder, a half-smile playing on his lips.
15:25Your footsteps, lighter than any human's.
15:28Plus, there's no one else here.
15:31Lena moved beside him at the window.
15:33From this height, the financial district glowed like a distant galaxy, cold and beautiful.
15:38It looks different from here.
15:41Everything does.
15:43Do you hate it?
15:43She asked.
15:44The district, I mean.
15:46What it represents.
15:48Nate considered this, his profile sharp against the night.
15:52Hate's a waste of energy.
15:54It's just a different world.
15:56One that doesn't include people like me.
15:58Because you're human?
16:01Because I'm poor.
16:03His tone wasn't bitter, just matter of fact.
16:06Species is just one barrier.
16:08Credits are the universal language.
16:11Lena studied him.
16:13This human who defied every stereotype she'd been raised with.
16:17Humans were supposed to be primitive, emotional, driven by base instincts.
16:23Yet Nate showed a wisdom that many of her mother's advisors lacked.
16:26Why are you really in the sprawl?
16:29Why are you really in the sprawl?
16:29She asked.
16:32You're clearly not just a repair tech.
16:35Nate turned to face her fully.
16:37In the dim light, his eyes were almost black.
16:40Ex-military.
16:41Human Defense Corps.
16:42I was stationed on Proxima 6 during the border dispute.
16:46The revelation hit Lena like a physical blow.
16:49The Proxima 6 incident had been one of her mother's most controversial military actions.
16:54A peacekeeping operation that had left hundreds dead, most of them human colonists.
17:00My family, she began.
17:02Supplied the weapons, Nate finished.
17:05I know.
17:06And yet you saved me, he shrugged.
17:08The movement rippling across his muscled shoulders.
17:12You're not your family.
17:13The simple statement unlocked something in Lena's chest.
17:17A tight knot she hadn't realized she'd been carrying.
17:20All her life, she'd been a Tex-Nari first.
17:24Lena, second.
17:25Her identity, her worth, her very existence defined by her bloodline.
17:30What happened?
17:31She asked.
17:32After Proxima 6?
17:34Honorable discharge.
17:35Medical reasons.
17:36His hand absently traced a particularly vivid scar along his ribs.
17:41Came to New Proxima looking for work.
17:44Turns out ex-soldiers aren't in high demand, especially human ones.
17:48So you repair think, I'm good with my hands.
17:52The statement hung in the air between them, suddenly charged with meaning beyond the literal.
17:57Lena felt heat rise to her cheeks, her lilac skin likely darkening to a deeper purple.
18:03I've noticed.
18:04Nate's eyes widened slightly, then crinkled at the corners as he smiled.
18:09That's so.
18:11The atmosphere shifted.
18:13The air between them electric with possibility.
18:16Lena was acutely aware of her state of undress, of his bare chest mere inches from her fingertips,
18:22of the way his human scent seemed to cloud her thoughts.
18:25I should warn you, she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
18:30There are biological factors at play here.
18:34Human pheromones affect my species.
18:36What I'm feeling might not be entirely natural.
18:40Nate stepped closer, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
18:44And what exactly are you feeling, princess?
18:47The nickname, which should have annoyed her, sent a thrill down her spine.
18:54Attraction?
18:55Intense attraction?
18:57That makes two of us.
19:00His voice had dropped an octave, rough around the edges.
19:02Though I don't have pheromones to blame.
19:06It would be a mistake, Lena murmured, even as she swayed toward him.
19:10Probably.
19:12Our species aren't even compatible.
19:14Nate's hand came up to brush a strand of the silver hair from her face.
19:18Aren't they?
19:18The touch of his fingers against her cheek sent electricity coursing through her body.
19:25Proxy man females were sensitive to touch, especially from potential mates.
19:29And something primal in her recognized this human as exactly that.
19:34There could be consequences, she managed her last feeble attempt at reason.
19:39I'm willing to risk it if you are.
19:42The last thread of her resistance snapped.
19:45Lena closed the distance between them,
19:46her lips finding his with unerring precision.
19:50The kiss was like nothing she'd experienced before.
19:53Hot, demanding, overwhelming in its intensity.
19:56His arms encircled her, strong and sure,
19:59as the blanket slipped forgotten to the floor.
20:03What followed was a blur of sensation.
20:05His hands mapping the contours of her body,
20:08her fingers tracing the scars that told his story,
20:11their bodies moving together in an ancient dance,
20:14the transcended species.
20:15In those moments, she wasn't a Tex-Nari heiress.
20:19And he wasn't a human ex-soldier.
20:21They were just Lena and Nate,
20:23two beings finding connection in a cold universe.
20:27Later, as they lay tangled in each other's arms on his narrow couch,
20:31Lena traced patterns on his chest,
20:33marveling at how different his skin felt from hers.
20:36Warmer, rougher,
20:38alive with a vitality that seemed uniquely human.
20:41Was it like this for your people?
20:43She asked.
20:44On Earth?
20:45Before the diaspora?
20:47Nate's fingers played with her silver hair,
20:50spreading it across his chest like liquid moonlight.
20:53Like what?
20:54This intensity,
20:57this connection.
21:00He considered the question,
21:02his expression thoughtful.
21:04Sometimes when it was real,
21:06when it mattered.
21:07And does this matter?
21:09The vulnerability in her voice surprised her.
21:12Nate tilted her chin up,
21:13forcing her to meet his gaze.
21:15Yes,
21:16he said simply,
21:18it matters.
21:19In that moment,
21:20Lena believed him.
21:22Whatever forces had brought them together,
21:24chance,
21:25fate,
21:26biology,
21:27had created something authentic between them.
21:29Something that,
21:31against all odds,
21:32mattered.
21:33Dawn would come soon enough,
21:34bringing with it reality and all its complications.
21:37But for now,
21:38in this small apartment above the sprawl,
21:40they had created their own world.
21:42One where a Tex Nari heiress
21:44and a human ex-soldier
21:45could find,
21:46however briefly,
21:47a place to belong.
21:49Neither of them could have known
21:50that their night together
21:51had already set in motion
21:52events that would change both their lives forever.
21:56That inside Lena's body,
21:57the impossible,
21:58was already beginning to take form.
22:00Morning arrived
22:01with the harsh blare of Lena's emergency beacon
22:03finally breaking through the sprawl's interference.
22:05The bracelet on her wrist pulsed with urgent light,
22:09jolting her from Nate's embrace.
22:11Your security team,
22:12Nate asked,
22:12instantly alert,
22:13the soldier in him emerging
22:14as he reached for his discarded clothes.
22:17Yes,
22:18Lena silenced the beacon with a touch.
22:20They've triangulated my position.
22:23They dressed in tense silence,
22:25the intimacy of the night before
22:26giving way to the reality of daylight.
22:29Lena smoothed her rumpled evening dress,
22:32feeling oddly reluctant
22:33to shed Nate's borrowed shirt.
22:35How long do we have,
22:36he asked,
22:36checking the street
22:37through a gap in the window covering.
22:39Twenty minutes,
22:40maybe less.
22:41She fastened her jewelry,
22:42each piece of weight,
22:43pulling her back to her world.
22:45They'll come with a full tactical team.
22:48Standard procedure for a kidnapping.
22:51Nate's jaw tightened.
22:53The sprawl doesn't take kindly
22:54to corporate security forces.
22:56This could get ugly.
22:57I'll meet them at the district boundary,
22:59Lena said.
23:00I can explain I was never in danger.
23:03And what exactly will you tell them
23:05about last night?
23:06The question hung between them,
23:08loaded with implications.
23:10Lena met his gaze steadily.
23:13That I was assisted by a good Samaritan
23:15who provided shelter until morning.
23:18Nothing more.
23:19Something flickered in Nate's eyes.
23:21Disappointment, perhaps,
23:23or resignation.
23:24Right.
23:25Back to our separate worlds.
23:27It's not that simple.
23:30Isn't it?
23:31He gestured around the modest apartment.
23:33This is my reality, Lena.
23:35That's yours.
23:36He pointed toward the gleaming towers
23:38of the financial district.
23:39One night doesn't change that.
23:41But it had changed something.
23:44Lena could feel it.
23:45The connection they'd formed
23:46went beyond physical attraction,
23:48beyond the chemical pull of pheromones.
23:50For the first time in her life,
23:52she'd been seen as herself,
23:53not as the Texanari heiress.
23:55I want to see you again,
23:57she said,
23:57surprising herself with her directness.
24:00Nate's expression softened.
24:02That would be complicated.
24:03I'm good at complicated.
24:05She stepped closer,
24:07resting her hand on his chest.
24:08I can come back to the sprawl,
24:11in disguise.
24:12Playing tourist in the slums?
24:15His tone was skeptical,
24:16but his hand covered hers,
24:18warm and strong.
24:19Your security would never allow it.
24:22They work for me,
24:23not the other way around.
24:25A reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
24:28Stubborn, aren't you?
24:29You have no idea.
24:31Their goodbye was brief,
24:32but intense.
24:33A kiss that promised more,
24:35that defied the social barriers between them.
24:38Then Lena was gone,
24:40slipping through the early morning streets
24:41of the sprawl toward the boundary
24:43where her world began.
24:44Her security team met her
24:46with a mixture of relief and suspicion.
24:49The head of her detail,
24:50a stern Arcturian named Thex,
24:52bombarded her with questions about her abductors,
24:55while medics scanned her for injuries.
24:59Lena maintained her story,
25:01an attempted robbery,
25:02a helpful human,
25:04a night spent safely waiting for mourning.
25:07If Thex noticed the slight darkening of her lilac skin
25:10when she mentioned the human,
25:12he didn't comment.
25:14For three weeks,
25:15Lena played her part perfectly.
25:17She attended corporate meetings,
25:19smiled at her mother's chosen suitors,
25:21and pretended nothing had changed.
25:23But everything had.
25:25Food tasted different.
25:27Colors seemed brighter.
25:28The luxury that had once been invisible to her
25:31now felt suffocating.
25:32And then there were the dreams.
25:34Vivid, intense visions of Nate
25:36that left her gasping awake,
25:38her body aching for his touch.
25:41On the 23rd day after their night together,
25:43Lena slipped her security detail.
25:45Dressed in plain clothes
25:46with her silver hair hidden under a cap,
25:49she took a public transport
25:50to the edge of the sprawl.
25:51The human district pulsed
25:53with the same raw energy she remembered,
25:55drawing her in like a gravitational pull.
25:58Finding Nate's building
25:59was easier than she expected.
26:01Her feet remembered the way,
26:03as if some part of her
26:04had been mapping the route home all along.
26:07He opened the door before she could knock
26:09as if he'd been waiting for her.
26:11You shouldn't be here,
26:12he said even as he pulled her inside.
26:14I had to see you.
26:16This time there was no hesitation.
26:19Their bodies found each other
26:20with the certainty of planets falling into orbit.
26:22What followed was a reunion
26:24of not just flesh, but spirit.
26:26A recognition that whatever had begun
26:29between them that first night
26:30was far from finished.
26:32Afterward, they lay tangled in his sheets,
26:35her lalic skin stark against his tan.
26:38This is insane, Nate murmured against her hair.
26:41You know that, right?
26:43Completely.
26:45Lena traced the line of a scar across his shoulder.
26:47I don't care.
26:49Your mother would have me executed if she knew.
26:51Only if she caught you.
26:54Lena propped herself up on one elbow.
26:56I'm very good at keeping secrets.
26:58And so began their clandestine affair.
27:01Twice a week, sometimes more,
27:03Lena would escape to the sprawl.
27:05They explored hidden corners of the human district.
27:08Underground music clubs
27:09where the bass vibrated through her bones.
27:12Street markets selling earth delicacies
27:14she'd never imagined.
27:16Rooftops where they could see
27:17both their worlds spread out before them.
27:19In those stolen moments,
27:21Lena discovered a freedom
27:22she'd never known existed.
27:25Nate showed her how to navigate
27:26the sprawl's unwritten rules,
27:28taught her human expressions and slang,
27:31introduced her to the rich tapestry of earth culture
27:33that had survived the diaspora.
27:35In return, she brought him glimpses of her world,
27:38insider knowledge of corporate politics,
27:41ancient proximate poetry,
27:43the complex etiquette of her species
27:45that humans found so baffling.
27:47Your people really have 17 different words for profit?
27:51Nate asked one evening
27:52as they shared a meal in his apartment.
27:5423, actually, Lena smiled,
27:56each with its own moral implication.
27:59And how many words for love?
28:01The question caught her off guard.
28:03Just one, she admitted.
28:05We're not particularly romantic as a species.
28:08Humans have dozens.
28:10His fingers traced patterns on her wrist.
28:13Passion, affection, devotion, adoration.
28:15Are they all different kinds of love?
28:19Different facets of the same thing.
28:22His eyes met hers, serious now.
28:25Like looking at a diamond from different angles.
28:28The comparison made her heart race.
28:30They hadn't spoken of love.
28:32Hadn't dared put a name to what was growing between them.
28:35To do so would make it real.
28:37Would force them to confront
28:38the impossibility of their situation.
28:40But as weeks turned to months,
28:42Lena found it harder to return to her world each time.
28:45The penthouse felt empty without Nate's presence.
28:48Corporate meetings seemed meaningless
28:50compared to their late night conversations about life.
28:53The universe.
28:54What it meant to be truly free.
28:57She was living a double life.
28:59And with each passing day,
29:00she knew which one felt more authentic.
29:03Then came the morning she woke violently ill.
29:06Her body rejecting the breakfast
29:07her personal chef had prepared.
29:08Three days in a row.
29:11The same symptoms.
29:12On the fourth day,
29:13she visited her private physician.
29:15The diagnosis was impossible.
29:17Unthinkable.
29:18I'm what?
29:19Lena stared at the holographic scan
29:21floating between them.
29:22Pregnant,
29:23Dr. Marin repeated
29:24his professional composure slipping.
29:26Approximately 10 weeks along.
29:29The fetus appears unusual.
29:31Unusual how?
29:33Its genetic structure contains markers
29:35I've never seen before.
29:36The doctor manipulated the hologram.
29:38Highlighting areas of the developing embryo.
29:41It's as if.
29:42But no,
29:43that's not possible.
29:44What's not possible?
29:46Lena demanded.
29:47Though she already knew the answer.
29:49The father?
29:50He can't be human.
29:52Dr. Marin shook his head.
29:54Our species aren't compatible.
29:56Everyone knows that.
29:58But as Lena stared at the proof floating before her,
30:00she realized that everyone had been wrong.
30:03And now she faced the most difficult conversation of her life.
30:07Telling Nate he was going to be a father to a child that shouldn't exist.
30:11I'm pregnant.
30:13Lena watched Nate's face as the words hung between them in his small apartment.
30:17She'd rehearsed a dozen different ways to tell him.
30:19But in the end,
30:21directness seemed the only approach that honored what they'd become to each other.
30:26For a moment, his expression remained frozen.
30:29Brown eyes wide,
30:30lips parted in mid-sentence about the meal he'd been preparing.
30:34Then slowly,
30:35he set down the cooking utensil and turned fully toward her.
30:38That's...
30:39He paused, visibly processing.
30:41That's supposed to be impossible.
30:43Apparently not.
30:46Lena placed the holographic projector on his kitchen counter and activated it.
30:50The three-dimensional image of their developing child appeared,
30:53unmistakably a fetus,
30:55but with subtle anatomical differences
30:57that marked it as neither fully human nor fully proximan.
31:01Nate approached the hologram with the caution of someone nearing a bomb.
31:05His hand passed through the image,
31:07fingers tracing the outline of what would become their child.
31:11How?
31:12He whispered.
31:12Dr. Marin has a theory.
31:15Proximan females have a unique cellular adaptation mechanism.
31:19It's how we survived colonizing different planets with varying atmospheres.
31:23He thinks my body...
31:25She hesitated, searching for the right words.
31:28My body adapted to make compatibility possible.
31:31Because of the pheromones?
31:33Partially.
31:34And possibly because my species evolved from adaptable genetic structures.
31:39We're natural mimics at a cellular level.
31:41Nate's eyes hadn't left the hologram.
31:44Is it healthy?
31:46The question, so practical, so concerned, made Lena's throat tighten with emotion.
31:52Yes, even different, but developing normally according to Dr. Marin.
31:56And he can be trusted?
31:59He's been my physician since childhood.
32:02He's sworn to confidentiality.
32:04For now, Nate's voice hardened.
32:06But what happens when your mother finds out?
32:09When the corporation realizes what this means?
32:11The question cut to the heart of Lena's fears.
32:15Her mother, matriarch Anarotex Nari, wasn't just the head of their family, but the CEO of an interstellar conglomerate that controlled everything from pharmaceuticals to weapons manufacturing.
32:25A woman who viewed her daughter as both heir and asset.
32:28She doesn't know yet, Lena said.
32:31But she will soon.
32:32I can't hide this forever.
32:34Nate finally looked away from the hologram, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.
32:41What do you want to do?
32:42Not, what are we going to do?
32:44Or, what should we do?
32:46But what did she want?
32:48In that moment, Lena realized how rare it was for anyone to ask her that question.
32:52I want this child, she said, the certainty in her voice surprising even herself.
32:57And I want you.
32:59Nate crossed the small space between them in two strides, taking her hands in his.
33:05Then you have me.
33:07Both of you do.
33:09The simple declaration, so human, so direct, brought tears to her eyes.
33:14In her world, nothing was ever straightforward.
33:18Every relationship was a negotiation.
33:21Every commitment, a contract with clauses and conditions.
33:25My mother will fight this, she warned.
33:27She'll say I've been manipulated, that the pregnancy is dangerous, that it threatens corporate interests.
33:33Let her, Nate's jaw set in a determined line.
33:36I've faced worse odds.
33:38You don't know my mother.
33:40And she doesn't know me.
33:42His thumbs trace circles on her palms.
33:45Or what humans will do to protect their families.
33:48Family.
33:50The word resonated through Lena like a perfect note.
33:53That's what they were becoming.
33:55Not just lovers, not just two beings from different worlds, but a family.
34:00We need a plan, she said, her practical nature asserting itself.
34:05Mother has scheduled the quarterly shareholder meeting for next week.
34:08All major stakeholders will be present, including the board of directors.
34:13You want to confront her publicly.
34:15It's the only way.
34:17Lena squeezed his hands.
34:19In private, she controls everything.
34:21But in front of the board and shareholders, she has to maintain appearances.
34:26Corporate law requires her to act in the best interests of the company.
34:29And how does your human baby daddy fit into those best interests?
34:34Nate's tone was light, but his eyes remained serious.
34:36That's what we need to figure out.
34:39Lena deactivated the hologram, the image of their child fading.
34:42We need leverage.
34:44Nate's expression shifted.
34:45The ex-soldier emerging.
34:47What kind of leverage?
34:49Information.
34:50Something that makes our relationship an asset, rather than a liability.
34:55Lena began pacing the small apartment.
34:56The Tex-Nari corporation has been trying to expand into human markets for years, but there's resistance.
35:03Distrust.
35:05For good reason, Nate muttered.
35:06After Proxima 6.
35:08Exactly.
35:09The corporation needs to rehabilitate its image with humans.
35:13An idea began forming in Lena's mind.
35:16What if our child became a symbol of that new relationship?
35:19The first human-Proxima hybrid.
35:22Born of genuine connection, rather than corporate maneuvering.
35:25You want to use our baby as a PR stunt?
35:28Nate's voice held a note of disbelief.
35:31No.
35:32Lena stopped pacing, turning to face him.
35:34I want to use the idea of our baby to protect the actual baby.
35:38My mother understands optics better than she understands love.
35:41If she sees the marketing potential.
35:44She might accept it.
35:45Nate finished, understanding Dawning.
35:47That's, um, actually brilliant.
35:50And slightly terrifying.
35:51Welcome to corporate politics.
35:54Lena offered a wry smile.
35:56But we need more.
35:57A backup plan if she rejects the public angle.
36:00Nate was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful.
36:04What about your father?
36:05Is he in the picture?
36:06The question caught Lena off guard.
36:09Her father was rarely mentioned in Texanary circles.
36:12A subject closed by her mother's iron will.
36:14Snap!
36:15He died when I was young.
36:16At least that's the official story.
36:17And the unofficial story, Lena hesitated.
36:22There are rumors.
36:23That he left.
36:24That he couldn't handle the corporate life.
36:26The constant pressure.
36:28Mother never speaks of him.
36:30Do you know his name where he might have gone?
36:33Taron Texanary.
36:34He would have dropped the family name if he left.
36:37Lena's mind raced.
36:39Why?
36:40What are you thinking?
36:41If he rejected that world, he might be an ally now.
36:44Nate's eyes gleamed with strategic calculation.
36:48And if your mother loved him once, his opinion might still matter.
36:53It was a long shot, but Lena felt a flicker of hope.
36:56I have access to the corporate archives.
36:59There might be records, communications.
37:01Then that's our first move.
37:04Nate pulled her close, his forehead resting against hers.
37:07Find what we can about your father.
37:10Prepare our case for the shareholders.
37:11And confront your mother with both barrels loaded.
37:15The military metaphor made Lena smile despite the gravity of their situation.
37:20So typically human, facing an impossible situation with determination and a battle plan.
37:26And if none of that works?
37:27She asked softly.
37:29Nate's arms tightened around her.
37:31Then we run.
37:32I know people from my military days.
37:35Places off the grid where even the Texanary influence can't reach.
37:38The thought of leaving everything behind, her wealth, her position, the only world she'd ever known, should have terrified Lena.
37:48Instead, she felt an unexpected sense of freedom.
37:51With Nate and their child, she could build something real, something honest.
37:55One week, she said, sealing their pact with a kiss that tasted of promise and defiance.
38:01One week to change everything.
38:03Neither of them could have known that in the gleaming tower of Texanary headquarters, matriarch Ainara was already viewing the medical report that Dr. Marin had been forced to submit.
38:14A report detailing the impossible pregnancy of her daughter and heir.
38:18Nor could they have known that the matriarch's reaction was not the rage they expected, but something far more calculated.
38:25For Ainara, Texanary had secrets of her own.
38:29Secrets that the existence of a human-proxima hybrid threatened to expose.
38:34The Texanary tower dominated New Proxima's skyline.
38:37A spire of polished metal and transparent alloy that caught the morning light like a beacon.
38:43Inside its top floor conference room, the corporation's most powerful figures gathered around a horseshoe-shaped table.
38:50Their attention fixed on the quarterly projections displayed in the air before them.
38:54Matriarch Ainara Texanary presided at the head of the table.
38:58Her lilac skin a shade darker than her daughter's.
39:01Her silver hair pulled into a severe style that emphasized her sharp features.
39:06Unlike Lena, who inherited a softness from somewhere, Ainara was all angles and calculation.
39:12As you can see, she was saying, our expansion into the Centaurian markets has exceeded projections by 17%.
39:19However, the human territories remain, she paused, searching for a diplomatic term, resistant to our overtures.
39:27A murmur passed through the assembled board members, all proximans of high standing, all concerned with the bottom line above all else.
39:35Perhaps it's time to reconsider the human markets, suggested Director Pax, an elderly proximan with pale blue skin.
39:43Their resources are limited, their technology inferior.
39:46The conference room door slid open, cutting him off mid-sentence.
39:51Every head turned as Lena entered, dressed not in her usual corporate attire, but in a simple human-style outfit.
39:58Dark pants, a fitted jacket, her silver hair loose around her shoulders.
40:03Forgive the interruption, she said, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.
40:07But I believe I have a solution to our human market problem.
40:12Ainara's expression remained neutral, but her eyes narrowed fractionally.
40:16Lena, this is unexpected.
40:18So is what I have to say.
40:20Lena moved to the center of the room, activating her own data projection.
40:24Before I begin, I'd like to introduce someone.
40:27On cue, Nate entered.
40:29He'd traded his worn clothes for the best he could afford.
40:32A simple but well-fitted suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and confident posture.
40:37The board members stared, some with undisguised contempt, others with curiosity.
40:43This is Nathan Reeves, Lena continued.
40:46Former Human Defense Corps, decorated veteran of the Proxima 6 conflict, and...
40:50She took a breath.
40:52The father of my child.
40:54The room erupted in shocked exclamations.
40:57Director Pax actually rose from his seat, pointing an accusatory finger at Nate.
41:02This is outrageous.
41:04A human?
41:04In these chambers?
41:05A human who saved my life, Lena countered, and whose child I now carry.
41:12Ainara remained silent, her gaze fixed on Lena with an intensity that would have made most
41:17wilt.
41:17But Lena stood her ground, moving closer to Nate, their shoulders touching in a silent display
41:23of unity.
41:24Impossible, declared another board member.
41:26Our species cannot interbreed.
41:28This is some kind of deception.
41:30I have the medical report, Lena said, expanding her projection to show the fetal scans, confirmed
41:36by Dr. Marin himself.
41:38The child is real, and it represents something unprecedented, a natural bridge between our
41:44species.
41:45The scientific data silenced some of the objections, replacing outrage with reluctant fascination.
41:52Lena pressed her advantage.
41:53For years, we've tried to penetrate human markets through traditional means, buyouts, technological
42:00leverage, political pressure.
42:03None have succeeded because humans value something we've never offered them.
42:08Genuine partnership.
42:11She gestured to Nate, who stepped forward.
42:13Humans don't trust the Texanari Corporation, he said, his deep voice carrying authority despite
42:19the hostile audience.
42:20And with good reason.
42:22Proxima 6 wasn't a peacekeeping mission.
42:24It was a resource grab that cost hundreds of human lives.
42:28More outraged murmurs, but Nate continued undeterred.
42:32But humans are also pragmatic.
42:34We understand the value of moving forward, of building something better from painful pasts.
42:38What we don't accept is being treated as inferiors.
42:41Lena took over again.
42:43Our child represents a new possibility, a future where humans and proximens aren't separated
42:48by prejudice or, you know, corporate interests, but united by something more fundamental.
42:54Love, Nate said, simply taking Lena's hand.
42:57Director Pax scoffed.
42:58This is absurd sentimentality.
43:01Matriarch, surely you won't allow...
43:02Enough!
43:04Inara spoke for the first time since the interruption, her voice cutting through the chamber like a
43:09blade.
43:10I would speak with my daughter?
43:12Alone?
43:14With respect, Matriarch, Nate said, stepping slightly in front of Lena.
43:18Where she goes, I go.
43:20A tense silence followed as human and proximen Matriarch locked eyes in a battle of wills.
43:26To everyone's surprise, Inara's mouth curved in what might have been the ghost of a smile.
43:31Well, very well, my office.
43:33Now, the Matriarch's private office occupied the pinnacle of the tower, its walls transparent
43:39on three sides to offer a panoramic view of New Proxima.
43:43As the door sealed behind them, Inara moved to a control panel, activating a privacy field
43:48that turned the walls opaque.
43:50You've made quite a spectacle, she said, turning to face them, though I expected nothing less.
43:55You knew, Lena realized, about the pregnancy.
43:59Of course I knew.
44:01Dr. Marin works for me, as does everyone in that medical facility.
44:06Inara studied Nate with clinical detachment.
44:09What I didn't know was the identity of the father?
44:12A Human Defense Corps veteran?
44:14Interesting choice.
44:15It wasn't a choice, Lena said.
44:17It just happened.
44:19Nothing just happens in this family.
44:21Inara moved to her desk, pressing a sequence on its surface.
44:24A hidden compartment opened, revealing an old-fashioned paper photograph.
44:29She handed it to Lena.
44:30The image showed a younger Inara, her expression softer than Lena had ever seen it,
44:35standing beside a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair and unmistakably human features.
44:41Dad was human, Lena whispered.
44:43Her world tilting on its axis.
44:46Taryn Reed, Inara confirmed.
44:48A diplomatic attaché assigned a new Proxima during the early contact period.
44:53Brilliant, idealistic, utterly convinced our species could coexist as equals.
44:59Her voice held an emotion Lena had never heard before.
45:02Something like regret.
45:04The board disagreed.
45:06Reed, Nate repeated.
45:07Any relation to James Reed?
45:09He was a diplomat who disappeared about 30 years ago.
45:12His brother, Inara said.
45:15Your uncle, apparently.
45:17Lena's mind reeled with implications.
45:19You told me he died.
45:21It was simpler than the truth.
45:23That the board forced him to leave.
45:25Threatened his life if he ever contacted you.
45:28Inara's composure slipped momentarily.
45:31I fought them, but in the end I chose the corporation over him.
45:35A decision I have lived with ever since.
45:37Where is he now?
45:39Lena demanded.
45:41The sprawl.
45:42Nate answered before Inara could, understanding dawning on his face.
45:46The repair shop three blocks from my apartment.
45:48Reed's repairs.
45:49I've passed it a hundred times.
45:51The owner's an older human who keeps to himself.
45:54You've been watching him?
45:55Lena accused her mother.
45:57All these years.
45:59Protecting him, Inara corrected.
46:01Ensuring the board never found him.
46:04Why reveal this now?
46:05Nate asked, suspicion evident in his tone.
46:08Inara's gaze returned to the fetal scan, still hovering in the air between them.
46:11Because history is repeating itself.
46:14But this time, there's proof of what I've always known.
46:17Our species aren't just compatible.
46:20They're complementary.
46:22Your child isn't an aberration.
46:24It's evidence.
46:26She straightened.
46:27The formidable matriarch wants more.
46:29The board will fight this, just as they fought my relationship with Terran.
46:33But this time, I have leverage they didn't anticipate.
46:37What leverage?
46:37Lena asked.
46:38You, Inara said simply.
46:41The living proof of human proximate compatibility.
46:45My half-human daughter, who's been running the Orion division, our most profitable sector,
46:51for the past year without anyone suspecting her heritage.
46:54Understanding dawned on Lena.
46:55That's why you pushed me into management so young.
47:00To prove humans aren't inferior.
47:02To show the board that human genetics don't diminish our capabilities, but enhance them.
47:07Inara's expression hardened with determination.
47:09And now, with your child, we have irrefutable biological evidence.
47:13This isn't just about corporate politics, Nate said.
47:18This is our family.
47:19In my world, they're one and the same.
47:22Inara turned to the window, reactivating its transparency to reveal the city below.
47:27But perhaps it's time for that to change.
47:30She faced them again, decision made.
47:33Go to Terran.
47:34Tell him.
47:35Tell him I kept my promise.
47:37His grandchild will grow up in a world where its heritage is a source of pride, not shame.
47:41And the board, Lena asked.
47:44Leave them to me.
47:46A predatory smile crossed Inara's face.
47:49I've been planning this confrontation for 30 years.
47:52They just didn't know it.
47:54Three hours later, Lena and Nate stood before a small shop in the heart of the sprawl.
47:58The sign above the door read Reed's Repairs in simple lettering.
48:02Through the window, they could see an older man with silver-streaked dark hair bent over a workbench,
48:07his hands moving with the precision that came from decades of practice.
48:12Ready?
48:13Nate asked, squeezing Lena's hand.
48:15She nodded, her free hand resting protectively over her still-flat stomach.
48:19Ready.
48:20As they pushed open the door, the man looked up.
48:23For a moment, time seemed suspended as he took in the sight of them.
48:26A human man and a proximate woman, hand in hand.
48:29Then his eyes met Lena's, and recognition dawned, the same gray-blue shades staring back at each other across generations.
48:38Lena, he whispered, rising slowly.
48:41Dad, she replied.
48:43The word unfamiliar, but right in her tongue.
48:45And as Taryn Reed embraced his daughter for the first time in 25 years,
48:50as Nate watched with a smile that promised future embraces of his own child,
48:55as the first human proximate hybrid grew safely within Lena's body,
48:59a new chapter began.
49:01Not just for their unconventional family,
49:04but for two species who would soon discover that their greatest strength lay not in separation,
49:09but in the beautiful complexity of their union.
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