Page 15 of Swipe Right for Stardust

I bristled, but Zarnak’s hand on my arm stopped me. “Their words matter not,” he said softly. “We know our worth.”

I let the tension drain away. He was right, of course. We had nothing to prove to them.

A shimmering figure materialized beside us - a holographic waiter. “Your table is ready,” it announced in a melodious tone. “Please, follow me.”

We said goodbye to Jake and Silla, then trailed after the waiter. As we approached our table, the chairs shifted, molding themselves to our bodies. I yelped in surprise as mine adjusted, cradling me perfectly.

“Whoa,” I laughed. “That’s... different.”

Zarnak settled into his chair with more grace. “Quite efficient design.”

The holographic waiter waved its hand, and menus materialized before us. “These have been customized for your species,” it explained. “Please, take your time in selecting your meal.”

I stared at the options. The dishes had names I couldn’t begin to pronounce, with descriptions that sounded more like poetry than food.

“Um,” I said eloquently. “Any recommendations?”

Zarnak leaned in, his presence warm and solid beside me. “Perhaps we could start with the Whisper Wisps? They’re quite the experience.”

All of this was ‘quite the experience.’ Why stop now?

“Sounds good to me.”

We continued perusing the menu, finally settling on Lumina Fins for our main course and Flux Fractals for dessert. As the waiter shimmered away with our order, I turned to Zarnak.

“So,” I said, desperate to break the ice. “Tell me about your first expedition. Any embarrassing mishaps with alien plant life?”

Zarnak’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “As a matter of fact...”

He launched into a story about his first solo research trip, where he’d accidentally pollinated himself with spores from a sentient fungus. I laughed harder than I had in ages, tears streaming down my face as he described the resulting technicolor sneezing fit.

“You’re kidding!” I gasped between giggles. “Rainbow snot?”

Zarnak nodded solemnly, but I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. “For three days. My mentor was not impressed.”

As our laughter subsided, I noticed the way Zarnak’s expression softened when he mentioned his mentor. “Tell me about her,” I said gently. “Your mentor, I mean.”

Zarnak’s gaze grew distant. “Dr. Elowen was... extraordinary. Brilliant, of course, but also kind. Patient. She saw potential in me that I didn’t recognize in myself.”

I listened, captivated, as he spoke of the alien woman who had shaped his career and his life. The depth of emotion in his voice touched something in me, and I almost wished I could have met her.

“She sounds amazing,” I said softly when he finished.

Zarnak nodded, then seemed to shake himself from his reverie. “And what of you, Vanessa? What drove you to join this... unique adventure?”

I laughed, a bit self-consciously. “Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?”

His eyebrow ridge quirked up. “An accident?”

I launched into the story of how Jess had signed me up without my knowledge, how I’d nearly deleted the acceptance message. As I spoke, our appetizers arrived - delicate, glowing spores that floated above our plates.

“Wow,” I breathed, momentarily distracted. “How do we...?”

“Like this,” Zarnak demonstrated, leaning forward to catch one of the spores on his tongue. His eyes closed briefly, a look of bliss crossing his features.

I followed suit, gasping as the spore dissolved, flooding my mouth with an indescribable array of flavors. “Oh my god,” I moaned. “That’s incredible.”

Zarnak’s gaze locked with mine, an intensity there that made my pulse quicken. We continued eating in silence, savoring the unique experience.

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