Miles extended an arm out to coax everyone back from the door. Mark held Sean's hand, backing him up a safe distance. The hatch door hissed to stabilize the room. Mark could hear their deep voices talking but couldn't hear them clearly. Once the room was stabilized, they opened the hatch door and stepped out. Forming a line just outside the door, their eyes looked at them in turn. Miles put a fist to his chest and bowed low and deep with his tail curled around his feet. Logan shuffled his feet nervously but did the same. Mark put his fist to his chest and bowed and tried not to smirk when he saw Sean copy him. A simple bow from Sean would have been fine. They would be able to tell he was human. Unlike himself. Being a half-breed, his smell stood out. The Triceratops snorted to clear his large nose, then said aloud. "Ambassador, it has been a long time." Miles straightened up, coolly answering. "My warmest greetings, Delegates. I wish we had met under better circumstances."

The Stegosaurus looking humanoid shook his head grimly, before saying in a slightly lighter tone. "Agreed. However, Rip-fang's challenge was sound. We've heard rumors that unsettle the carnivores back home. We hoped Rip-fang would get answers before his challenge... but complications arose. For that... We apologize." Miles nodded, politely informing them. "The fault is mine. It seems there are Reptilians on Earth that feel I have been too generous with the humans. They failed to give me the time of your arrival, until an incident had already occurred. I rushed to arrive as quickly as I could." The Triceratops nodded to accept his apology. Mark was so focused on the discussion, that he jumped a little when Sean whispered over his shoulder. "What do you think they are saying?" Mark swallowed as the closest Delegate turned to look at Sean. The Delegate was bulky in her size with a long neck that was lowered to keep from hitting the ceiling. The Delegate's face was slender and hanging from its crescent flat dinosaur ears were dangling ruby earrings.

Mark held his breath as the Delegate turned its head to look at Sean with bright purple eyes. Mark could tell by her soft features and scent that it was a female. Her bulky frame covered in a sea breezy white summer gown that hung off her shoulders and was embroidered with pearls. Sean stepped more behind Mark as the woman looked him over and stated aloud softly. "A human? Why is it here?" Miles quickly piped up before Mark answered. "He's a friend, Sessa. Mark's mate. And Mark here, is what I wanted to show you." Sessa's head moved to look over Mark, sniffing him. Mark tensed a bit but tried to keep himself calm. Sessa turned her head, telling the others with an unsettled tone. "This male... He's part Reptilian." The Stegosaurus moved closer to Mark, leaning on his walking stick as he uttered out. "Impossible. Our species is incompatible on their end. Their DNA can't support ours." The Stegosaurus extended out a scaly hand for Mark's. Mark carefully gave him his hand.

The Stegosaurus removed his suit glove, raising his tail off the floor to bring one of the sharp spikes to his hand. Mark locked his jaw, flinching when the Stegosaurus jabbed him light enough to make his hand bleed. Sean stepped out, asking timidly. "What is it doing?! Logan?" Miles reached out to grab Sean's suit collar, pulling him away from Mark. Sean squirmed, but Miles shushed him to calm him down. The Stegosaurus smelled his blood, then said to someone else. "I'll be damned... It's Cliffton's son. I know that smell anywhere." Mark blinked, blurting out. "You knew my father?" The Stegosaurus turned his eyes back on him to nod, before answering in a casual tone. "Yes... We heard of his loss. Tragic. He was a great warrior." A Delegate moved behind the others, breaking from the crowd to look at him with powerful features. Unlike the others, this Reptilian had the features of a T-Rex but had longer arms and a slender face. His body was covered in white war paint and around his neck was a necklace of bones.

The second Mark saw him, his heart raced. Why was his scent so familiar? The carnivore moved closer, causing the Stegosaurus to move away from Mark. The carnivore took Mark's bleeding hand, sniffing it before licking it. Mark sniffed the air thinking he was imagining it. The scent was the same as his father, but he had watched his dad die. The carnivore savored the taste of his blood, before addressing him in a deep voice. "Mark, was it?" Mark nodded, watching the carnivore smirk. Beside him, Miles told him in a hesitant voice. "Mark. This is Alan. King of the Reptilians. He's your oldest living relative." Mark didn't know what to say to that. He didn't know much about his dad's family. His dad had only brought up his family secret after he got sick. He learned very little from him and had carried the secret on his own for so long. Sean looked around the room, then said aloud. "Will someone please tell me what is going on?! Mark? Where did you learn to talk like that?"

Mark's eyes widened, slowly turning to look at Sean's scared expression. Swallowing, he said as calmly as he could. "Boot camp. It's ok, Sean. They are just saying hello." Alan raised an eyebrow like he didn't understand what Mark said to Sean. Straightening up to his full height, Alan told Miles with pride. "This is an incredible find. We will want information on him regularly." The Stegosaurus nodded, telling Mark hopefully. "I would like to take a few blood samples myself. This could help us adapt more to more severe climates and cure our more exotic illnesses." Mark shuffled his feet a little nervously. Sessa looked to the Triceratops, telling him seriously. "We should take him home with us. Allow our scientists to monitor him and learn more." The Triceratops snorted loudly to get the others attention, blurting out sternly. "Miles, what do you plan to do with this... Half-breed?" Miles lifted his chin, informing them seriously. "I am hoping to bridge the gap between Humans and Reptilians." The Triceratops shook his head, telling Alan gruffly. "That's just not possible. There is no benefit in it."

Miles puffed his chest, retorting just as seriously. "No benefit? The way I see it, we need each other to excel. Both ours species must adapt or we will all die. You said the mix between species was impossible. Yet, here Mark stands. Earth is not the same as you remember. We can be apart of something greater. They are learning. Advancing. Imagine what we could accomplish together." The Triceratops shook his head, grumbling out. "It's too dangerous. They hunger for power and control. I doubt that has changed." Miles glanced at Logan with a worried look, then told them honestly. "It's true... but I'm not talking about this happening overnight. We start small. In a few years, they'll be mastering space travel. They'll seek new worlds and habitats. We'll be forced to share or go to war. I want to avoid war." The delegates looked to Alan. Alan looked around the ship with his eyes, then said in a cool tone. "I can see the truth of your words... but what you're suggesting means the end of the carnivores." Miles shook his head, saying respectfully. "No, your highness. I think it will lead them into the future. Give me a chance to prove it. Humans are more open to new things than they were. We can learn to survive together."

Alan moved to stand before Logan. Logan hunched up a bit from the size difference between them. Alan towered over Logan. Looking over Logan, Alan asked him. "You defeated Rip-fang for control of Earth. By tradition, Earth is yours. So... What do you think?" Logan looked at his dad, then to Sean's confused expression. Straightening up slowly, Logan told Alan boldly. "I agree with my dad. They fear the carnivores. But if we adapt to be omnivores, they should give us a chance. I've seen them care for Reptilians like us first hand. They are more emotional than us, but they can be reasoned with." Alan nodded, looking to the others as he told them. "It's settled then. We'll try it your way, Miles. We're trusting you to bring our species together. Otherwise... I dread the future of both our species." Mark stepped out to ask Alan curiously. "Wait. What happens to me?" Alan turned around to look at Mark, grinning as he said. "You are the future. So just survive. I was the start of my kind. Be the start of yours."

Alan removed a fresh looking bone from the pocket of his red robe, handing it off to Logan as he told him confidently. "Rip-fang's fang. A Reptilian is shaped from the battles he survives. May you continue to survive, young hunter." Logan bowed his head in respect. Alan then gestured the Stegosaurus, telling him nicely. "Collect your samples when we reach Earth. Let's be on our way. We have only so much time to do this before the planet finishes its rotation in this sector." Mark blinked, saying confused. "You're still going to Earth?" Alan nodded, gesturing to the ship as he told him. "We have supplies to collect and some to drop off. Along with a change in the guard." Mark looked to Miles. Miles shared his look, before saying hesitantly. "Highness, he's talking about the humans." Alan hefted a sigh. The other Delegates looked at Alan curiously. As herbivores they didn't seem to care but were curious how a carnivore like Alan would answer. Alan blinked, looking over his shoulder to answer in a cool voice. "Well... You've got a few days to come up with a solution to that. If not. Nothing changes."

Mark stood in silence, watching them take their leave. The moment the hatch door closed, Sean cleared his throat and said a little upset. "Anyone want to translate?" Logan snorted, chuckling out. "I'm sure Mark can explain." Logan's dad released Sean, then started to make his way toward the front of the ship as he said under his breath with slight worry. "I need to talk to the pilots. This is going to be an interesting trip back home..." Logan patted Sean's shoulder, following his dad to give them privacy. Mark floated in place, waiting for them to get out of ear shot. Sean hugged his own chest, mumbling out in a shaky voice. "Mark...? I've got this weird feeling... like you... Are you hiding something from me?" Mark began removing his suit, saying lightly without looking at him. "Why would you think that?" Sean floated to a wall nearby, answering firmly. "I've never heard you talk like that. And when I first saw Logan... I was terrified. I know you were up here with them before me... but Mark... you're not scared of them." Mark licked his dry lips, then exhaled silently. He couldn't put this off any longer.

Facing Sean, he told him as gently as he could. "Sean, I... I'm a half breed." Sean hugged the pole on the wall, his expression unreadable. Taking his hesitation as a sign to keep going, he added slowly. "My father was a Reptilian. He fell in love with a human. My brother was born human... For some genetic reason, I wasn't. My father told me to keep it a secret... and I have." Sean lowered his eyes to the floor. Mark floated a little closer to him, saying hopefully. "Sean, I have NEVER lied to you. Everything I am... It's still me. I kept this from you because I... I didn't want to scare you. But I love you." Mark reached for Sean and Sean backed away from him. Mark's heart was jabbed with pain as he lowered his hand, uttering out in a brokenhearted voice. "I'm sorry... I wanted to tell you so many times. I just... I didn't want to lose you. You're my whole world." Sean moved into the hatch door to the bedroom area, asking him in a wispy voice. "So, you change like them?"

Mark shook his head, honestly telling him. "No. Not like them. I... I'm just me. I have... minor transformations. I can see in the dark. I'm stronger than the average human. I've got a better sense of smell and hearing. My eyes change when I get mad or scared... Or when I get... excited. At let me tell you, hiding that from you and youtube was no walk in the park. I've had to learn to control that or edit the shit out of some videos." Sean chuckled a little, making Mark smile. He felt like it was a good sign that Sean could laugh at that. Sean averted his eyes a few seconds, then asked him curiously. "All those times we made love... You..." Sean didn't finish, but Mark told him sweetly. "It was real. I never faked any of it. I love you, Sean. And I meant it." Sean looked into the bedroom area, then gestured Mark to follow him. Mark carefully followed him inside, wondering what he was up to. Inside, Sean floated up to him. Cupping his face, he told Mark in a loving voice. "Show me." To Be Continued...