Hanna tightened her hand around Kyle’s and stared into space. She smiled. “Well, there are worse ways to go than to die in the vacuum of my favorite place.” She shrugged. “It was a good life while it lasted, Kyle. I’m glad I got to share some of it with you.”

“I wish I could kiss you, but I have already emptied the ship of atmosphere to prepare for battle.” He laughed.

Hanna pressed two fingers to her helmet where her lips were, then pressed them to Kyle’s.

“I love you, Kyle. Let’s go down fighting and take as many of these bastards down with us, yeah?”

He grinned.

Then a blast from the Lusundai mother ship grazed the surface of their vessel. Everything shook.

The space warped once more, only this time it brought a fleet of Federation mother ships.

Kyle’s eyes grew wide.

Hanna Whooped. “We might just make it out of this after all!”

She wanted to kiss this shit out of her Kyle.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the Federation didn’t mean they were out of hot water just yet.

While most of the fire concentrated on the new mother ships, some of it hadn’t left them alone.

Tov drone ships exited the main Federation command vessels like a field covered in flies.

Several of them surrounded their ship and began to escort them back to the main fleet. While trying to make it back, they had to dodge and weave while a few of the drones acted as their shields.

Kyle opened up a screen. They watched as Brandon’s ship made its way back to the Lusundai mothership and docked. Then a flood of Tov drones descended onto the ship and began to carve up its hull.

A com request appeared on screen and Kyle answered it. Brandon appeared on screen. The women beside him appeared scared out of their minds. Hanna bit her lip. Well, those girls did choose to side with an alien that wanted to take over earth by replacing the human species, one generation at a time. So… maybe they were getting what was coming to them.

Brandon also looked haggard. His eyes looked determined and hunted. To think, the universe hentai protagonist would be brought to this point.

“Are you planning to surrender?” Kyle asked.

Brandon smirked. “Never. This is just goodbye for—”

As the Lusundai mother ship exploded into a billion pieces of debris, the com went dark. The ship shuddered from the aftershock.

Hanna blinked.

She couldn’t believe it. Was the universe’s favorite, really dead? She turned to Kyle. “Tell me he didn’t escape!”

He looked through the telemetry that scrolled across part of the screen. Slowly, his muscles visibly relaxed. “He didn’t, though he was about to. The mothership was planning on going directly to hyperspace. This would have killed everyone on Earth!”

Hanna’s heart stuttered. Holy shit! They’d done it! Not only did they save the world two times over, they also defeated a hentai protagonist!

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Kyle laughed. “When I originally sent my distress signal, I added in a part that explained why my commander disobeyed orders. I’m surprised that they showed up in full force to kill the prince. The prince was a larger target than I suspected.”

“Apparently. It’s also a good thing you collected all that information on him. You can share it with your higher-ups.”

He nodded and squeezed her hand. “But this also means that I might have to go back to my job. I’m still part of the military… technically.”

She shook her head and wrapped her hand around his big arm. She couldn’t feel much because of her spacesuit, but it was the gesture that counted. “Whatever happens, we’ll figure this out together!”

He nodded. “Hanna. If I do, have to go back... Will you come with me? It will be dangerous. Or maybe I can ask for a transfer to a location that doesn’t get attacked” He bit his lip. “Whatever happens, I want you with me.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but his eyes widened. He pressed his hand to her helmet. “Wait! Don’t tell me right now. I want you to take your time and think about it. Maybe get to know my culture better. Knowing that you’ve already adapted well to this alternate universe, I think you’ll adapt well to the Federation culture. But I could be wrong. You need to figure out for yourself what is right for you. And I’ll figure out a way to stay with you.”

Fuck. If only he were a little less sweet. “Okay. Let’s explore some of your culture. Then I’ll decide. But regardless. We’ll stay together, right?”

“That’s right!”

***

Years Later…

Hanna stood on stage receiving a diploma for her Masters in Astronomy and Astrophysics. She waved down at her actual brother Kyle who came with their parents and his new girlfriend, Chelsea. His patience had paid off.

Only a few years after that pseudo-date at the cafe, they had run into each other when she’d been single. He convinced her to go on a date with him and finally managed to hook her in after that.

Hanna grinned.

Next, she glanced at the love of her life and the new Ambassador for the Tov race on Earth, Kyle… well, he went by Kai’al now, but it sounded the same, so she just kept calling him Kyle.

Next to him sat their little girl, Emi. She was the first half-human half Tov in existence. But she wouldn’t be the last. Not when the Tov had agreed to protect the Earth from other aliens.

That was correct. Hanna had been right about humans having special genetics that combined with even the Tovs.

Of course, she’d been pissed beyond imagining when she’d found out that Kai’al had knocked her up, but given the technology of the Tovs, taking care of a kid was shockingly easy, and she’d had a lot of help from his parents. Even though their grandchild was half-human, they still adored her as if she were fully Tov.

It helped that the little girl proved to be shockingly intelligent. Perhaps worryingly intelligent.

Everyone took pictures of her on stage. She posed with her diploma then walked off the stage.

An hour or so later, once the frustratingly long graduation ceremony was complete and all the students said their goodbyes, she walked up to her family.

Emi ran up to her and nearly knocked her down by running into her legs and holding on tightly with both arms and purple-grey tendrils. “Mommy, mommy!” She patted her adorable reddish-black curls.

“What’s up?”

“Congratulations on graduating! You’re almost as smart as I am!”

Hanna practically spat blood. She crouched low and pulled on her daughter’s light purple cheeks. “Say that again!”

“I said you’re smarter than daddy!”

“Good girl!” She patted her head, then stood up only to be hugged by her large alien husband.

They shared a look that spoke volumes about their shared frustrations.

“Go hug your grandmother!” Kai’al said then they both watched as their daughter ran towards Mrs. Ivy and wrapped her in a tentacle hug.

“So, you finally got your wish and graduated.”

“Mmmmhmmm. Now I need to look for a job.”

He coughed. “Hanna… you know, you don’t have to work. I make enough to take care of us either here or on a federation planet.”

“I can’t expect you to take care of me for my whole life. What if you get bored? Then I have to fend for myself!”

He laughed then hugged her closer. “I’ll never get bored of you. Even after all this time, I have never thought of being with anyone else but you. And I never will.”

“I’m still going to find a job.”

“Then I’ll support you.” He kissed the top of her head. “Whatever you want to do.”

“I love you, Kai’al!”

“I love you too, Hanna.”

They paused as they heard a man break down in tears. They turned to see their daughter standing with her hands on her hips talking to some poor student who had just graduated. The man was on his knees crying from despair.

“Shit. Let’s collect our girl before she ruins the confidence of more promising young minds!”

The End.