“I don’t understand why we have to come to the giants’ embassy to see Ted,” Dora said, as their car crept forward in the queue.

“Ted’s got a one-day pass from Titan Station, mamá, he didn’t want to spend all of it getting to Santa Fe,” Miguel said from the back, holding his wife’s hand against her stomach, which was swollen after seven months of pregnancy.

“Dora, you’ve talked to Ted dozens of times since first contact. You know what he’s said about the Titans. They’re just big. Otherwise, they’re like us.”

“Oh, what does he know?” Dora huffed.

Juan Martínez chuckled at his wife’s dismissiveness. “Well, he’s been living there for over a year now, and he’s known some of them for almost two. I think on this one you might trust our youngest son. You trust Mike when it comes to salsa, no?”

“Not entirely,” Miguel chuckled. “But she’s better than she used to be.”

“I know what Ted’s told us,” Dorotea said, quietly. “And…well, he’s probably telling the truth. But still…they’re so big. I still don’t understand how he can live among them.”

“He seems to have managed so far, amorcita. Ah, here we are,” he said, as the car rolled itself forward to the gate.

An American soldier walked up to the car, and smiled as Juan rolled down the window. “Good morning,” she said. “Identification, please?”

Juan handed her the ID cards for himself, his wife, his son and his daughter-in-law. The soldier swiped them over her pad.

“Martínez…are you related to Captain Martínez?” the soldier asked, as she cross-referenced the data.

“Yes we are,” Juan said. “He’s our son – Miguel’s brother.”

“You must be proud,” she said, hitting a button. “Okay, I’m sending you guys a map over gchan-2, you should have it in a moment.”

Juan blinked, and saw the GPS map show up in the lower part of his vision. “Yes, I have it.”

“Very well. Captain Martínez will meet you in the JMA – you can check in about a kilometer up ahead, they’ll program your car for parking and direct you to your tram. First time here at the embassy?”

“Yes,” Dora said, rather miserably.

The soldier smiled. “Don’t worry, the Titans are very nice,” she said. “I’m sending you over some safety guidelines – the main thing is to stay on marked paths. If you look at the ground and it’s blue, you’re fine. If it’s white, you haven’t been paying attention and need to get back to the blue. If you somehow find yourself on red ground – well, don’t, unless a Titan friend of yours is carrying you somewhere.”

“Those the paths for Titans, I’m guessing?” Imani said from the back seat.

“Yup. All right, we’ve got you checked in for twenty-six hours, Dr. Martínez, Dr. Iñíguez. Enjoy your time here at the Embassy.” With that, the soldier waived them through.

* * *

Danae Lektas sighed as she set the table. Inna had introduced her to Ammer a few weeks ago, and she’d had just enough time to start to come to grips with it. It was…well, it was damn weird, but she loved her sister, and she’d find a way to support her.

“No, Danae, the green plates, not the blue. Fodis, will you please get over here?”

As for their mother…Danae wasn’t optimistic.

“The blue plates are fine, Xee,” Danae’s father called from the kitchen.

“The blue plates are common,” Xene said, collecting them from the table. “The green plates are for guests.”

“Mom, Inna’s boyfriend isn’t going to care if we give him blue or green plates.”

“But I care, Danae. And you should care, too. We raised you….”

“…to understand the better things. Yes, mom, I know. And I do. But in the name of the Emperor – do you think it’s best to have a power dinner as the first thing he sees of us?”

“Yes,” Xene said, pushing the green plates into Danae’s hands. “We need him to understand just what kind of a family we are. Now, I’m going to check on your father’s progress.”

Danae rolled her eyes. Well, this would show Ammer exactly what kind of family they were. She hoped they’d all survive it.

* * *

Ted looked over at Tigoni and chuckled.

He was sitting on a corner table in an anteroom near the Joint Meeting Area, watching her as she paced. He’d never seen Tig nervous. Not when an imperator came to arrest her, not when Titan Station was flying apart at the seams, not even their first time together – okay, they’d both been nervous then, but in a wonderful way.

This was…well, nearly panicked, from what Ted could see. Which he felt bad about…except for the fact that it was almost refreshing to see her on edge for once.

Tig slowed her pacing just long enough to look down at the tiny, chuckling man, and scowl. “Ha ha,” she said. “I seem to remember you being the same way when you met my parents.”

“I don’t think so,” said Ted. “You showed up with them ten minutes after you called me, I didn’t have time to be nervous.”

“Right, and of course, my parents loved you, because, you know, you’re amazing, and I’m….”

“Completely amaz…gah!”

Ted had tried to place his hand on hers as she paced by in an attempt to stop her, but as the impact propelled him toward the ground, he realized that he probably hadn’t thought that decision through. Fortunately, the table was thigh-high and the gravity here was Archavian standard, so the fall winded him more than anything else.

“Ted – this is what I’m talking about,” Tigoni said, dropping quickly to make sure he was okay. “I’m gonna scare them half….”

“Don’t even, Tig,” Ted said, laughing as he got up. “Don’t even start. You’re amazing, you’re the best person I’ve ever met, and if my parents can’t see that…well, they aren’t the people who raised me. You remind me of Imani before she met them – Mike had introduced me a few times, she’s outstanding – you’re gonna really like her. But she was all worried because my family’s mostly Hispanic, as if my grandma wasn’t a Peterson.”

“And?”

“And they adore Imani, which only makes sense, because she’s awesome. Between my brother and I, the Martínez boys have done very well for themselves. I mean, don’t tell Mike that his wife’s been knocked down a peg, but….”

Tig lay down on the ground, and kissed Ted gently. “What if they really don’t like me? What if they can’t get over…well….”

“Tig, your parents got over me being the size of a finger,” he said. “If my parents can’t get over you being the size of a shuttlecraft, well, they’re gonna have to make do with one less son, because I’m not hanging around them if they’re gonna be racist.”

Tigoni tousled his hair, as Ted’s commlink chirped. “Captain Martínez?”

“Martínez, go ahead.”

“Your guests have arrived on the grounds, they should be to Ezdida t’Rixæ in about fifteen minutes.”

“Excellent,” Ted said. “We’re on our way.”

Tig looked at him with a soft smile. “I love you, Ted.”

“And I love you, and they’ll love you too. I promise,” he said.

* * *

“Huh. It doesn’t look enormous,” Dora said, turning around in the entryway, and fiddling with the translator device they’d given her at check-in.

A young man at the information desk chuckled. “Well, that’s because this area is scaled for humans. Ambassador Bass’s orders; she doesn’t want humans to feel like they’re at a disadvantage due to size.”

“That’s thoughtful,” said Imani. “We’re looking for…um…Ezdida t’Rixæ?”

“That’s just Archavian for ‘Rixie’s.’ Can’t miss it, just follow this hallway here, follow the signs in English – can you read English, by the way? Translator, you know – always hard to tell.”

“Hm?” Juan said. “Yes, we speak English.”

“Great. Just follow the signs, they’ll lead you to the receptionist for human guests to the restaurant.”

“Thanks,” Miguel said. “So, what’s it like, working with the Titans? My brother’s pretty calm about it, but….”

The man laughed. “Well, I’m fine with it, but I wouldn’t be a good person to ask; I’m a Titan. Holographic projection,” he said.

“Really,” Miguel said. “Well, it’s, um…welcome to Earth, I guess.”

The man chuckled again. “Thank you, Mister…..”

“Martínez,” Miguel said, reaching out a hand to shake.

“Martínez. And welcome to the Embassy. Hm. Related to Captain Martínez?”

“My more famous younger brother,” Miguel said.

“Ha! Well, it’s nice to meet you. And if I remember right – you make salsas, yes?”

“Yup.”

“Thought so. They’re excellent. Ted brought some up to the station when I was still posted there. Of course, I only got to try a very small bite, but…still, very good stuff. If you’re ever interested in selling in the Empire, I think you’d do well.”

Miguel smiled just a bit. “Well, thanks, Mister….”

“Jorram Ansol, Mr. Martínez. Sorry for delaying you.”

“Not at all, Mr. Ansol,” Miguel said with a grin. “Not at all.”

* * *

Inna walked toward the door of the ritzy condominium with far more fear than her passenger felt. And Ammer was visibly shaking.

“Don’t worry,” she said, gently, pausing before she started up the steps. “I don’t care if they like you. I’m just hoping that you don’t hate them so much that you break it off with me.”

“Yeah, well…I’d stand a better chance if I was a bit taller.”

Inna stopped, and almost turned around. She hated putting Ammer through this, and what’s more, she dreaded what she knew was coming. But…well, they were family. And she had to introduce Ammer at least once to them, if only to say that she’d tried.

She knocked on the door softly, and cringed as it opened.

“Hey, Day,” she said, quietly.

“Hey,” Danae said, carefully hugging her sister. “Hey, Ammer.”

“Danae, good to see you,” Ammer said, as Inna removed her coat, pulling him through her sleeve.

“Good luck,” Danae whispered, as their mother’s booming contralto filled the hallway.

“Hello, Inna dear! I’m…wait a moment. I thought you were bringing your boyfriend. Is he late? Not a good sign, Inna.”

Inna took a deep breath, held it for three seconds, and let it go. “No, mother, my boyfriend’s with me.”

“Hm. Parking the shuttle, perhaps?”

“No,” Inna said, carefully raising her right hand. “Um…Ammer Smit, this is my mother, Xene Lektas. Mom…this is my boyfriend, Ammer.”

“It’s lovely to….” Ammer said, but didn’t get any further. Xene had turned on her heel and walked out of the room.