The Obvious Questions

"Wait a second, back up..." you declare before moving on to the basic questions you have about this. "Forgive me for answering a question with a question, but, would that even WORK?" You ask pointedly.

"If the legends about your species are true, yes." Sharisha says, then elaborates. "Supposedly the 'racial gift' of humans is that they can get pregnant by or inseminate any other species when both parties willingly have sex with their reproductive organs and are sexually compatible genders. I don't know if it's true but I would LOVE to find out, because..." and here she pauses and takes a deep breath. "...because-I-think-I-am-in-love-with-you." She whispers all in a rush.

"You're in love with me?" You ask, astounded.

"Yes." Sharisha whispers, small voiced, sensing the 'but' coming.

"We met less than two hours ago: how can you be sure?" You respond, trying not to crush her spirit but also aware that even though she thinks she is in love with you, you are not in love with her, at least not yet, and more to the point, you are going home in two weeks, and have no idea if it would even be possible to take her with you...

"I felt it the minute I first spoke to you." She explains, voice sounding strained, as she prepares to open her already wounded heart to further rejection. "I don't know how it is with your species but when a Naga meets someone who is compatible as a life partner and father/mother for their children as soon as they see them, smell them, and hear them speak they just KNOW, and know who if they are in a crowd. It's our 'racial gift', our marriages are almost always happy ones because both parties can instinctively sense when it is 'meant to be'." She declares, and you suddenly sit up and catch her eyes for the first time, whereupon...