X miserably followed his mother down the hall. Three days and she didn't show any signs of leaving. Didn't show any signs that she was even thinking about leaving! He would never make it. There was something that he had heard about. Something called the foreign legion. Granted it was made up totally of humans but if it got him away from his mother.... He wondered if they were taking applications?
"I still don't know why you aren't interested in that little human partner of yours. She smart, sweet, pretty. So much better than that last partner you had. How that fellow got into law inforcement with that attitude, I'll never know!" his mom grumbled. "You really aren't getting any younger you know. I was so hoping that things would have improved. Earth could be a fresh start for you."
"Mother,...." X really didn't want to discuss some of the things that had happened before he left home.
"I want you to be happy! Is that too much to ask? That's why I signed you up for Martin's Dating Service. A six month contract. I'm sure that will be long enough for you to meet some nice girl," she said with a smile.
X could feel himself turning a paler shade of green. Martin's Dating Service and a six month contract. Six months of being forced to go out with every looser in the known universe with no way to escape! Those contracts meant that the dates were manditory! What was he going to do? In a flash, inspiration hit him.
"Mom, you can't sign me up for Martin's," he told her. "I'm already engaged!"
"Engaged to who?" his mother asked suspiciously. She had been there three days and certainly had not been introduced to a prospective daughter-in-law.
"Uh..." X glanced around the hall frantically. What could he tell her? Just then he spotted Elle coming down the hall reading a report as she walked. "Her!"
He darted down the hall and grabbed Elle up before she could object, carrying her over to his mother. "No need for that dating service, now is there?" he said.
"And why haven't you told me about this before?" his mom demanded.
"Human custom. Secret engagements are very, very popular with them!" X explained. Elle opened her mouth to say something whe she heard that. X couldn't let her wreck things, not his perfect plan to escape matchmaking forever. He quickly leaned down and brought his lips onto hers, kissing her into silence.
"I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone, then," his mother said as she turned and walked away, happy that her son had finally found someone at long last.