I sent word to my people that they could land. Days soon fell into weeks as the scientists studied the climate, took soil samples, catalogued the different animals and so on. My team rarely met with the others and if we did it was only by video-communication as they were on the other side of the planet. In the meantime, we enjoyed the hospitality of Max's family. We had moved our belongings into spare chambers and were treated like old friends. Max's mother kept her attention focused on my growing closeness with Max. She never spoke against it, but you could feel her concern.

Alex and Isabel would go for long walks in the garden, trading secret defense techniques. Alex was being groomed for our defense department while doing an internship in the embassy. They found it easy to talk to each other, which was something that Max commented on regularly. He would talk about how his sister had a distrust for outsiders even among their own people and that he was relieved she had found someone to confide in besides himself and Michael.

Maria busied herself studying the different types of plants surrounding Max's home. She had hoped to advance to the agricultural field when she returned to our planet. Our soil had been producing less and less crops over the years. It was the point of the exploration to supply our scientists with the knowledge our people needed to cultivate new crops that could survive in desert-like conditions.

Michael kept tabs on her, following Maria at a comfortable distance as she made her way through the workers. Pressing them for answers that she would scribble down. She was annoyed with his constant presence and would complain to Max that he was obstructing her work. Max would talk to him but to no avail. The next morning Maria would find him tailing her in the same fashion.

Max and I would spend our days trading customs our people had and were extremely surprised to find our cultures were amazingly similar. He took me to the buildings that housed his people's history. We would meander the day away among dusty books and artifacts. Our combined interest brought us closer together. It was beyond the initial attraction we had both felt...it was as if we had known each other our entire lives. I could finish his thoughts and he finished mine. We would get up knowing exactly what the other would find entertaining for the day ahead.

Near the end of the fourth week, Max took me to a religious house. It was centuries old. He explained that his family had all been joined there. That this was where we would be married if I chose to stay. Tears flooded my vision as he talked about our future. I said nothing, but my happiness was overwhelming.

"Will you chose to stay, Liz?" He asked, his face growing tense as he awaited my answer.

"I had never planned to leave."

He wrapped his arms around me. It was forbidden to touch a mate on his planet until after the ceremony, but Max said that it was only a formality. In his soul we were joined from that moment on. So, in secret we would hug and sometimes steal a kiss under the cloak of night.

The day after we had made our pledges to each other we walked along our familiar path. Michael stumbled out of a grove of trees, nearly knocking Max off of his feet.

"What's wrong?!" Max demanded, catching Michael and steadying him.

"That girl. She's went completely insane." Michael pointed as Maria came running out of the woods thrashing a stick back and forth.

"I'm gonna give him a lashing if he doesn't stay away from me!" She yelled, thrusting the stick towards Michael.

Max and I tried to stifle a laugh. Maria was ashen faced and Michael looked perplexed. "Can't you stop her?" Michael begged me as Maria got closer.

"Maria..."

"Oh don't Maria me! You try working when you're being shadowed! I've had it. I'm not taking it anymore. He's like some big overgrown guard dog!" She said, advancing on him till they were face to face. "I'm not gonna hurt any of your people. Must you continue you to hound me?"

"I never said I thought you were a danger to the workers. In fact, I have every confidence they could overpower you within seconds. That is if they could remove their hands long enough from their ears." Michael told her, regaining his senses.

"That's another thing, I'm sick of the references about my talking. If you don't like it, don't listen!"

"If it were only that simple."

Maria let out a frustrated scream and preceded to hit Michael in the leg with the stick. He yelped in pain. "Ok, that's it! I demand you do something with her! Send her back to the ship...send her into the desert...feed her to wild animals...I don't care what you do just get her out of my sight!"

"Michael, if you weren't always following her..." Max began, but Maria interrupted.

"Ha! Thank you!" Maria threw Michael a satisfied smile. He straightened himself up and glared at Max. "Fine. Let someone else look after her. I'm finished! If the workers decide to kill her don't say I didn't try!" He yelled angrily, storming off.

Maria stared after him stunned. "What was he talking about?"

"There's been scuffles in the fields where people come up missing. The farmers work long, hard hours and they can sometimes turn on people...especially foreigners." Max hesitated, watching Michael go inside their home and slam the door. "It never crossed my mind that he was protecting you. Michael doesn't often tell anyone what his motives are."

Maria's concerned gaze lingered on the door. "Well, he should." She softly said and headed in the opposite direction.

***

That night at dinner, Michael moved his plate to the other end of the table-brooding. Maria would causally peer down at him from time to time but he was staring into his plate. I felt sorry for Maria. I knew she wanted to apologize, but Michael was probably the hardest candidate for that task.

Alex and Isabel filled the room with conversation about the upcoming tournament they were planning. It would be a mock battle of strategy.

Isabel turned to her mother. "Alex pointed out some problems I was having. This should be a real fight."

Her mother laughed. "You're admitting you had problems? That's a first. You must an amazing opponent, Alex, if Isabel is praising your abilities. She's the best warrior our people have."

"I think she's exaggerating. She's a brilliant commander." Alex admitted, blushing.

"He's being modest." Isabel replied, grabbing his arm and giving it a light squeeze. I watched as the two traded compliments back and forth, confused as to Max's mother's obvious delight in Isabel's new friendship with Alex. Why did my closeness to Max worry her, yet these two were openly expressing their interest in each other and she was pleased?

Michael's sudden departure from the table brought me out of my musings. Maria's eyes followed him out of the room. She glanced briefly at me and excused herself. I knew what she was up to and within minutes found myself also leaving. I feared she would get into another confrontation with Michael and that I would need to drag her away.

As I suspected, I heard shouting from the top of the stairs. "I'm just trying apologize!" Maria insisted.

"I don't want your apology!" Michael retorted.

"My mistake. I thought you were civilized...I guess I was wrong." I thought I heard Maria coming towards the steps but as I waited she never appeared. Just as I was leaving, convinced that she had went on to her room, a loud bump echoed from the upper floor. My fear for Maria's safety lead me to run up the stairs. When I reached the last step I sucked in my breath. Michael had Maria pressed against the wall, kissing her in a way I had never seen two beings kiss before. I started to say something but I felt a hand on my arm. I looked back to see Max standing behind me. He guided me back down the stairs and out the door into the night.

"We've got to stop them!" I exclaimed once we were at a safe distance.

"Why?"

"Because it's wrong. If your..." I trailed off.

Max smiled and brushed his hand along my arm, sending delicious shivers all over my body. "Didn't you suspect that something was happening between them?"

Had I? Yes. I knew that the constant fighting was leading to something...no one hated each other that badly unless there was more to it, but what I had seen...it could cause our whole mission to collapse.

"Ok, yes. I knew something was going on, but what about your customs? That's forbidden."

"And this isn't?" Max whispered leaning close to me and brushing his lips across mine. I put my arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. I felt myself meld into him. His lips left mine briefly as he planted soft kisses down my neck. "The customs are old, Liz..." he said, lifting his eyes to mine, "after knowing how you feel against me everytime I hold you and the agony my body goes through when you are close but I can't touch you...I wouldn't wish that on anyone else."

He guided me down to the moist ground. We laid in each other's arms, as he playfully kissed my fingers and then gently worked his way back up to my lips. No, I silently decided, I wouldn't deny anyone of this feeling. Especially myself. Our marriage couldn't come soon enough.