Page 23 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

With most buildings in Voran City being tower-tall, flying was the most common way of traveling. Most people owned a personal aircraft to get around. Granted, not everyone had an aircraft as slick and as fast as his.

For someone who only left the hospital building when he couldn’t avoid it, there was no need to have an aircraft like that. Buying it was an indulgence on his part. He reasoned that if he had to leave his house, he might as well use something fast enough to get him there and back promptly. That it was easy on the eyes didn’t hurt either.

“Nice.” Maya slid a hand over the smooth, red front panel inside, then slightly bounced in the cushioned seat.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked, bringing the aircraft into motion.

“As comfy as could be.” She grinned, twisting her head around to look out through the transparent body of the aircraft.

He hit the destination button, and the craft took the course toward the largest shopping mall in the city.

“Wow.” Maya pressed her nose to the glass, taking in the sights slowly drifting by below. “This looks even better than in a movie.”

“You’ve seen this before, on your flight from the space port after your arrival.”

“Yes. But I felt rather overwhelmed that day to pay attention to details. There was so much to absorb upon arrival on an alien planet. Besides, it was already covered in snow when I got here. Everything's so green now.”

Topped with glass domes, the high buildings of Voran City rose into the blue sky. Most of the glass bubbles of covered terraces and balconies were open due to the balmy weather. Greenery, so beloved by his people, was everywhere. Vines with flowers draped over lattices and railings. Shrubs and trees grew from the pots. Rooftop gardens burst with spring flowers, and the outdoor park had already sprouted enough green to cover the dirt and eliminate every remnant of winter.

“It’s a nice day,” he had to agree.

After a few minutes of being glued to the glass of the aircraft, Maya finally settled into her seat, looking straight ahead.

He glanced at the control panel in front of him. “We should be there in about fifteen minutes.”

She dipped her gaze to his hands resting in his lap. “You’re not flying it? The guys in movies usually do.”

He chuckled. “The guys in movies like to show off. I can hand-fly it if I had to, too, but I don’t need to do it to prove my worth as a man. Besides, it’s safer to let the AI fly it,” he assured her, wondering if fear might be the reason for her suddenly subdued mood.

Her eyes still darted around, taking in the new sights, but the happy bubbliness of earlier had dimmed.

Instead of enjoying the unexpected quiet, it bothered him.

“How have you been lately?” he asked, trying to keep his voice casual. Sadly, casual conversations weren’t on the extensive list of his skills.

She glanced at him suspiciously.

“You tell me, Professor. You’re the one with probes and charts. Is everything going as expected?”

“I’m not talking about the pregnancy, Maya. I’m asking about you. How are you doing?”

“What does it matter?” She shrugged a shoulder.

“It matters very much. You are the subject of my study. The most important part of it.”

“Ah,” she snapped. “So, it is about the pregnancy, after all.”

He blew out a breath. Somehow it seemed easier talking to her before.

Searching for words carefully, he tried again. “I just wonder how you feel and if—”

She closed her eyes, running a hand over her face.

“I’m sorry, Professor. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that Alcus turned his morning visit into some kind of therapy session with the same ‘How are you?’ questions. And now you...”

“I only inquired—” He used to be proud of his eloquent writing and public-speaking skills. Yet there he was tripping over his words with her.

It wasn’t pleasant to learn he wasn’t that good with words after all, at least not enough to casually talk to a woman. An attractive woman, he had to add. Maybe that was the problem? He hadn’t felt attracted to a patient before.

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