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  Joe had set up high-tech warning buoys at the far reaches of the solar system to warn them of any radio beams, ships, or probes that might arrive from his home planet.

  The blue glow stopped wavering. Joe’s breathing was back to normal. They stood up. Joe staggered, reached out a hand to grasp Mike’s arm and leaned on him.

  “Why didn’t my communicator go off?” Mike asked.

  “I’m not sure. It wouldn’t be looking for yours, or maybe it didn’t recognize it because it was built here with some parts made of Earth materials.”

  Mike looked around them. No one was in sight. “Can you destroy the probe or disable it?”

  “It would raise suspicion if it was destroyed. Earth doesn’t have the technology to do so. My planet would think you were ahead of where you were before I showed up. They’d know it was someone from our star system, which means me.”

  “Do they know Vov died?”

  “They know I destroyed his ship. When I stopped my reports after choosing to stay with you, I presumed they were met with a great giant, ‘who cares?’ Remember, I was a nobody. Vov wasn’t.”

  “But they sent you after him.”

  “Maybe they wanted me to fail, or maybe somebody else from my planet showed up. I haven’t detected anyone, but I’m not omnipotent. Plus, while the number of intergalactic ships is huge, it is finite. Plus there are a limited number of people capable of piloting them around the universe. There are records. There are bureaucrats, always minutiae-loving bureaucrats. Someone would notice, and no one else wants to come to Earth. At least that’s what I was told.”

  “I know. We’re a useless backwater with nothing to offer. You’ve told me more than once. It is depressing every time you remind me, but still someone else could be here. It’s possible.”

  “But highly improbable.”

  “But how do they know all this stuff about us if we haven’t been visited before?” Mike asked.

  “You’ve been probed before. We’ve charted vast portions of the galaxy for thousands of years. We’ve got an excellent map of the inhabited planets. Contact is limited to nearby worlds or ones that have things we might want or that have resources we might be interested in or would be a lot closer to the home systems and far more profitable to trade with. We don’t colonize planets with indigenous populations. Trade with Earth, besides being mostly pointless in terms of goods and services, would be prohibitively expensive. Transport ain’t cheap.”

  They continued talking as the snow swirled and deepened. Easier to risk the storm than chance being overheard. Joe was now standing on his own. The blue glow had faded. Mike was becoming anxious about how Jack was doing, but an attack was an unfortunate priority. He asked, “Will the probe recognize that you have sensors scattered around the edges of the solar system?”

  “I set them up so it shouldn’t be able to. Vov was one of the great geniuses of the past millennium. I’m wondering if maybe he wasn’t as much of a criminal as I was led to believe. Maybe he was creating technology that the rulers of my planet didn’t want invented. Based on his research, I’ve developed techno-devices that my planet might not have. Your implant is an example. Maybe he was keeping his research from them. Maybe that’s why they’re after me now. Maybe they think he left something behind. I don’t know. All that doesn’t really matter. I can read Vov’s schematics and drawings. Replicating what he did is difficult, but as you know, I’ve had some success. We are all given basic training in all the sciences. Without the implants Vov left, I would have been helpless. I made modifications on devices I had with me. My defenses should work.”

  “You made more than a few changes. You’ve got more ability to create than all the Earth physicists and engineers combined.”

  “Aw, shucks.”

  “Down-home modesty is not your strong suit. What if your defenses don’t work?”

  “You’re worrying again. Neither you nor I nor the entire planet Earth has the ability to stop one small starship much less an invasion from my planet. I’ve already told you, we don’t invade other planets. It’s against thousands of years of law and custom. Attacking you might set off an intergalactic war.”

  “How? A few demonstrations with that little communicator and Earth would surrender pretty fast.”

  “The big problem is that an attack here could set off factional disputes back home. Besides, what’s the point of an intergalactic war? Millions, probably billions would die. Valuable equipment and materials are ruined. What do we get from invading your planet? Lots of dead Earthlings and little else. Dead Earthlings aren’t much use in the universe. You wouldn’t be able to sell them anywhere for food or materials. Even the Sky Pirates of Msssk wouldn’t be able to trade inert humans for anything, and I’m here to tell you, if the Sky Pirates of Msssk thought there was a profit in something, they’d be trading in it.”

  “You know I worry. You know I ask questions.”

  “It’s part of why I love you, when it doesn’t drive me nuts.”

  In the darkness with the snow swirling about them, Joe leaned forward and hugged Mike. Even encased in their winter jackets and gloves, Mike felt the familiar warm tingle from contact with the alien. Their lips met in a brief kiss.

  “Can we get back to the tournament?” Mike asked.

  “In a few minutes, I hope. I’ve got to check this one more time.” Joe went back to working his device.

  Mike glanced around. They were screened by snow, darkness, and the walls of the building. He wished at times he could talk with someone about all the secrets connected to the one he loved. He also realized the impossibility of doing so, but keeping secrets came as second nature to Mike, as it did to most gay people.

  Mike said, “This is the second probe since November. How significant is it that they sent nothing for several years, and now we’ve had two in just a few months?”

  “I wish I knew,” Joe said.

  “But it can’t be a good sign.”

  “No, it is not a good sign. It means someone’s curiosity has been piqued. Give me just another minute or so.”

  The snow melted on Joe’s brown hair. Enough light from exterior lamps leaked into this hidden alcove in the wall that the colors of the rainbow reflected in the wet droplets. The mingling of light and water seemed like such a normal thing. Mike liked the prism effect dancing atop the one he loved. He enjoyed the normality of the feelings of warmth and affection. He was less disconcerted than he used to be by the jogging of his memory into remembering that he was in love with someone from another part of the galaxy. He was happier than he’d ever been, but it was at moments like this of tenderness and high tension that he wondered if perhaps he wouldn’t have been better off falling in love with a school teacher from the suburbs. He shook his head. His husband was the biggest and best secret of all. Normal was not the issue.

  Joe whispered, “Let me use your communicator for a minute.”

  Mike handed his over.

  Joe held them in the palm of one hand. He muttered a few words in an alien tongue.

  “What?” Mike said.

  “That was my equivalent of ‘drat’ and ‘darn.’” A slight bluish glow began to grow between the two instruments. It wavered, flashed, and blinked off and on.

  “I can’t do this correctly here,” Joe said. “I need to get back to my ship.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I can’t disable the probe or change its direction. I could try having an asteroid hit it and knock it out of commission, but it would have to be a big asteroid, and even then the probes are made out of very durable materials, more durable than anything built on Earth.”

  “Wouldn’t an asteroid strike at least knock it off course?”

  “The things have guidance systems that are self-correcting.”

  “We don’t have that kind of thing in Earth’s ships.”

  “Actually, you do, sort of, although the technology is primitive compared to ours.”

  Mike cut him off. “
We agreed not to play the my-technology-is-better-than-your-technology game. I conceded long ago that you win.”

  “I’m not trying to brag or put you down. I’m simply stating a fact.” His eyes searched Mike’s for several moments. “I know you’re sensitive about that. If I knew another way to put it, I would.”

  “Sorry,” Mike said. “I’m being ridiculous.” He thought a few moments, then said, “How about if you give the probe incorrect information? It’s got to send data back. Why not just feed it balderdash? Is the thing supposed to land on Earth or pass it by?”

  “I doubt if it would land. Being on the ground would limit its scope. The first probe was fairly simple. It was designed to pass through all the coordinates I had sent back to my planet. Its sensors would signal back any traces of me, my ship, or remnants thereof. This one seems to be much more complex. At the moment I don’t think we’ve set off its warning system. It’ll take days to get here. We have time.”

  “I’m beginning to get cold. I’m worried about us, our future, about how Jack is doing. I don’t like this probe thing. I don’t like feeling out of control of my life.”

  “But you, more than anyone else on Earth should realize how much you are not in control. Who else has developed a relationship with an alien from another planet?”

  “I’m not sure I’d want to know. Of course, if I did know, and there were enough of us, we could form a support group, even set up twelve-step programs: how to break up with your alien loving the alien, alien logic, the whys and wherefores. Seminars and conventions could become the rage. Trekkies beware! We could start a special cable channel or even our own talk show, ‘Ask Mr. Alien.’ Half the planet would be calling in.”

  “I think I like your complaining better than your humor.”

  “Sorry, but I really am worried.”

  “Me too, but there’s nothing to be done right now.” The blue glow winked out. “Safe for now,” Joe said. He gave Mike back his communicator. “Let’s get back inside. If Jack won this match, we’ll at least have the chance to see him in the next round.”

  At the door to the assembly hall Mike said, “You’re not hiding anything from me? We really have time? This isn’t one of these fatalistic moments in sci-fi movies where the evil aliens are coming to get us, and you’re sparing the helpless human the pain of despair.”

  Joe held his gaze. “No, I assure you when there is danger, I will tell you. They wouldn’t be coming for you anyway. They’d only want me.”

  “If they took you, I think I’d want to go with.”

  “Mike, how would you stop them from taking me or make them take you along?”

  “I don’t know. Would they kill either of us?”

  “Killing any human would be against all policy. I can’t imagine why that wouldn’t be controlling on everybody who showed up. That’s the way the law reads.”

  “Would they kill you?”

  “That is highly unlikely.”

  “Another indefinite answer.”

  “I’m telling you the truth.”

  “You said ‘when’ there would be danger, not ‘if.’”

  “I promise to tell you whatever I find out as soon as I find it out. I will share the danger. I’m not about to begin keeping secrets from you.”

  “Okay.”

  As they reached the entrance to the assembly hall, Mike took one last look back at the sky. The wind was down for the moment, and the soft crystals of snow gently touched their clothing and the ground. He found the simplicity heart-breakingly beautiful. He wondered how much longer Joe would be able to stay on Earth. He feared the time would be too short. He suspected he had no power to stop whatever would happen from happening. He shivered from more than the cold. He took Joe’s hand and squeezed it.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Inside they found Jack, his coach, Meganvilia, and Ray clustered in the aisle next to their seats. Jack gave Joe and his uncle a mystified look.

  “Where were you?” Meganvilia demanded.

  Mike hated lying about anything, and Meganvilia was no fool. His insights into people were dead on more often than not.

  “You missed the match,” Jack said.

  “I’m sorry,” Mike said. “We had an emergency that we had to take care of. Joe wasn’t feeling well. What happened?”

  “He won,” Meganvilia said. “We go on to the championship tomorrow.”

  “It’s nowhere near that,” Jack corrected him, “I have to wrestle two more times and win them both before the finals.”

  “You’ve beaten one of the guys already earlier this year,” his coach, Kendall Brewster, said. “If you get past him, I’ve scouted the others who you might meet after that. They’re from downstate. We should go over any video we’ve got and discuss possible moves.”

  “Do we have time to get him fed at least?” Mike asked.

  “I’ll pay for room service,” Meganvilia said. “This is too important to waste time at some teenage-staffed fast food emporium.”

  The coach said, “That’s a little extravagant.”

  “Nothing’s too good for my nephew.”

  “I’ll eat, Uncle Mike. The coach has all the food on my special diet for me. I’ll be back to the room before eleven.” During wrestling season Jack insisted on a special diet which Mike and Joe accommodated.

  “He needs to get lots of sleep,” Brewster said.

  “We know,” Mike said.

  “I guess I know you do,” Brewster said. “I get as nervous as the kids.” Brewster was a short, squat, bald little man. Mike found him to be organized to the point of tediousness.

  Jack and his coach headed toward the dressing room.

  Mike, Joe, Meganvilia, and Ray decided to dine at their hotel, the Jumer’s Castle in Champaign. Getting through the snow was not a problem at this point. Back in their room after dinner, the message light on the phone was blinking. Mike tapped in the numbers for message retrieval. His sister, Rosemary, had left a message saying it was urgent for him to call.

  Mike dialed the number, different from the last one she’d had. An adult male voice answered. His sister had landed in one disastrous relationship after another since the time she was fifteen. She’d only married two of them, and fortunately, in Mike’s view, had given birth to only one child. When his sister answered she said, “We’re in trouble.”

  Mike said, “Aren’t you interested that Jack could very possibly win a state wrestling championship?”

  “I guess. Sports isn’t very important is it?”

  Rosemary could have fought and made trouble in the custody case when Jack wanted to live with Mike and Joe. It wouldn’t do any good to antagonize her now.

  “What’s wrong?” Mike asked.

  “I thought I better tell you, Jack’s dad got out of prison today.”

  “Shit.” Jack’s dad, Lennon Kazakel, had sexually abused the boy for years until Mike and Joe had helped Jack talk about it and testify against him. The boy still went to therapy once a week on his own and once a week with his mother.

  “Don’t swear,” Rosemary said.

  “How’d he get out early?” Mike asked.

  “I don’t know. He did. He called me. He wants to see Jack. He’s demanding his rights as the father.”

  “He doesn’t have any rights,” Mike said.

  “I’m afraid,” Rosemary said.

  “Is he in Chicago?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You didn’t tell him we were in Champaign?” Rosemary was silent. “How could you tell him?”

  “It was in the paper about the tournament. Jack’s name was in the article. He was really mean on the phone. He sounded dangerous. I think you should come back here.”

  “We’re not leaving until the tournament is over. If necessary we’ll call the police here.”

  “I never should have let you keep him. See what’s happened.”

  “Nothing has happened,” Mike said. “The problem was that Jack was molested while you had him. You nev
er could stop your husband or control your son. I am not the problem.”

  The silence on the line extended for an uncomfortable length of time. Mike let it. He would not be the one to speak first. If Rosemary kept on in this vein, Mike was ready for a fight. He loved his sister, but he had to admit she was missing some basic adult level skills, the most essential ones being common sense and the ability to organize herself.

  Finally, Rosemary asked, “How is Jack?”

  “I invited you to be here.”

  “I know, and I wanted to come, but it just wasn’t possible this weekend. Ajax needed me to be here. How is Jack?”