Page 17 of Swipe Right for Stardust

I nodded eagerly. “Lead the way.”

ZARNAK

Vanessa gasped beside me, her hand unconsciously gripping my arm as we stepped into the vast circular space.

Before us stretched an endless expanse of stars, pinpricks of light scattered across the inky blackness of space. A distant nebula painted swirls of purple and blue across one section of the view, its cosmic dust illuminated by the glow of newborn stars within.

“It’s... incredible,” Vanessa whispered.

I nodded, unable to form words. No matter how many times I’d seen views like this, they never failed to ignite that spark of awe within me. It was why I’d chosen my path in life, why I endured the long hours of research and the isolation that often came with it. This right here - the beauty and mystery of the universe - made it all worthwhile.

I glanced at Vanessa, watching her drink in the sight before us. The starlight played across her features, highlighting the curve of her cheek, the slight parting of her lips. A warmth bloomed in my chest, unfamiliar yet not unwelcome.

“Shall we find a place to sit?” I asked, gesturing towards a cluster of floating seats.

Vanessa nodded, finally tearing her gaze away from the window. “Lead the way, Doc.”

We made our way to the secluded spot, weaving between other couples and small groups scattered throughout the deck. As we approached the seats, I realized they were suspended in a low-gravity field, bobbing gently in the air.

“Allow me,” I said, reaching out to steady one of the seats. I offered my hand to Vanessa, hyper-aware of the softness of her skin as she placed her palm in mine.

“Such a gentleman,” she teased, but there was warmth in her smile as I helped her navigate into the seat.

I settled into the seat beside her, feeling it mold to my form. The material was surprisingly comfortable, adapting to support my larger frame.

“So,” I said, searching for a topic of conversation. “Have you always been interested in space?”

Vanessa’s face lit up. “Oh, absolutely! When I was a kid, I was convinced I was going to be an astronaut. I had glow-in-the-dark stars all over my ceiling and knew the names of all the constellations.”

I smiled, picturing a young Vanessa lying in bed, staring up at those plastic stars with dreamy eyes. “What happened to that dream?”

Her expression softened, a hint of wistfulness creeping in. “Life, I guess. Turns out becoming an astronaut is pretty competitive. And expensive. But I never lost my love for space.”

I felt a pang of sadness for the little girl whose dreams hadn’t come true, mixed with admiration for the woman who still held onto that sense of wonder. “Well, you made it to space eventually,” I said. “Even if it wasn’t quite how you planned it.”

Vanessa laughed. “True! Though I don’t think ‘alien dating show contestant’ was ever on my list of potential careers.”

“What about you?” she asked, turning those captivating green eyes on me. “Did you always want to be a xenobiologist?”

I chuckled. “Not exactly. But I was always fascinated by life in all its forms. As a child, I’d spend hours observing the creatures in my backyard, imagining what kind of life might exist on other worlds.”

“Aw, little Zarnak the bug collector,” Vanessa teased. “I bet you were adorable.”

I felt my cheeks. “I’m not sure ‘adorable’ is a word often applied to Yantari children,” I said. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

Vanessa’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, I think you’re adorable now, so I’m sure you were as a kid too.”

My stomach did a strange flip at her words. Was she... flirting with me? I wasn’t well-versed in human courtship rituals, but her tone seemed suggestive.

Before I could formulate a response, Vanessa spoke again. “You know, this whole experience has me thinking about dating and how weird it can be, even without the added complication of interspecies romance.”

“Oh?” I said, genuinely curious. “How so?”

Vanessa grinned. “Well, let me tell you about my most disastrous first date ever. Picture this: I show up to this fancy restaurant, all dressed up and nervous...”

I listened, entranced, as Vanessa recounted a tale of mistaken identity, an accidental food fight, and an impromptu escape through the kitchen. By the end, I could only chuckle, surprised by my own reaction.

“...and that’s how I ended up banned from Chez Pierre for life,” Vanessa finished, laughing at her own misfortune.

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