Zarnak

ZARNAK

V anessa 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 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.

I shook my head, marveling at her ability to find humor in such an embarrassing situation. "That's quite the adventure," I said. "Though I must admit, I'm not entirely familiar with human dating customs. Is it common for first encounters to end in property damage?"

Vanessa's laughter redoubled. "God, I hope not! Though come to think of it, a lot of my first dates have ended in some kind of disaster. Maybe I'm cursed."

"Well," I said, feeling a sudden surge of boldness, "perhaps this show will break that curse."

Vanessa's laughter faded, replaced by a soft smile that made my heart race. "Maybe it will," she said quietly.

We fell into a comfortable silence, both turning to gaze out at the stars once more. I found myself calculating every point where our bodies almost touched - our knees mere centimeters apart, our hands resting close together on the armrests.

I wanted to reach out, to bridge that small gap between us. But uncertainty held me back. What if I was misreading the situation? What if my alien physiology repulsed her?

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Vanessa spoke again. "You know, , I'm really glad we got paired up for this show."

I turned to look at her, finding sincerity in her gaze. "As am I," I said softly. "You're... not what I expected when I agreed to participate in this experiment."

"Oh?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "And what did you expect?"

I considered my words carefully. "I'm not sure, exactly. But certainly not someone so... captivating."

The moment the word left my mouth, I wondered if I'd overstepped. But Vanessa's smile only grew wider, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"Captivating, huh?" she said. "You're pretty captivating yourself, Doc."

A flicker of movement caught my eye, drawing my attention to a nearby holographic clock. The glowing numbers floated in the air, a stark reminder that our evening was coming to an end. A pang of regret shot through me.

"It's getting late," I said, reluctantly breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us.

Vanessa followed my gaze, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "Oh wow, I didn't realize how much time had passed."

I nodded, feeling the weight of tomorrow's challenge pressing down on us. "We should probably get some rest before the race."

"Yeah, you're right," Vanessa agreed, though I detected a note of disappointment in her voice that mirrored my own feelings.

We stood, our movements slow and hesitant. The soft rustle of her clothing, the subtle scent of her hair - every little detail seemed magnified.

We stepped into the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the quiet space. Other contestants passed us, their hushed conversations drifting by.

"I can't believe you ate that thing! It was still moving!"

"Well, how else was I supposed to impress her? You saw those mandibles..."

A few steps later, another exchange caught my ear.

"Do you think they'll make us swim? I didn't pack a bathing suit."

"Honey, with some of these guys, I don't think that'll be a problem."

I glanced at Vanessa, wondering if she'd overheard the same comments. Her slight smirk told me she had.

As we neared her quarters, a growing nervousness settled in my stomach. I studied her more intently, noticing things I'd overlooked before. The graceful way she moved, the curve of her neck, the slight furrow of concentration between her brows as she navigated the unfamiliar corridors.

I'd encountered humans before, of course, but I'd never really looked at them. Why hadn't I studied them more closely? There was so much I didn't know, so much complexity I'd never considered.

We reached Vanessa's door far too quickly for my liking. We both stopped, turning to face each other.

I shifted my weight, uncertain of the proper protocol in this situation. Among my own people, a formal bow would suffice, but that felt too cold, too distant for what we'd shared this evening.

Vanessa looked up at me, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. I felt my heart rate increase, my body humming with an unfamiliar energy.

Instinctively I leaned towards her. Vanessa tilted her head up, her eyes fluttering closed. I bent down, drawn to her like a magnet.

Just before our lips met, a glint of light caught my peripheral vision. I froze, suddenly remembering where we were. A camera lens peered at us from a nearby alcove, its unblinking eye a stark reminder of our situation.

We both stepped back, the moment shattered. Heat rushed to my face, embarrassment and frustration warring within me. Vanessa's cheeks were flushed, her eyes wide as she looked anywhere but at me.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammered, cursing my lack of composure. "I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's okay," Vanessa said quickly. "I... I wanted to... but..."

She trailed off, gesturing vaguely at our surroundings. I nodded, understanding her unspoken words.

"The cameras," I said quietly, leaning in close to keep our conversation private. "I forgot about them."

Vanessa nodded, biting her lower lip. "Yeah, me too. It's easy to forget we're being filmed all the time."

I frowned, a wave of discomfort washing over me. "I don't like it," I admitted. "This lack of privacy... it feels wrong."

"I know what you mean," Vanessa said, her voice soft and understanding. "It's weird, having every moment on display like this."

We stood in silence, both processing the reality of our situation. I felt torn between my growing feelings for Vanessa and my inherently private nature.

"Listen," Vanessa said, breaking the silence. "I really enjoyed tonight. And I... I like you, . But maybe we should take things slowly? At least until we figure out how to navigate all... this." She waved her hand, encompassing the cameras, the show, the whole bizarre situation we found ourselves in.

I nodded, feeling both relief at her understanding and disappointment at the interrupted moment. "You're right," I said. "We should focus on the race for now."

"Right," Vanessa agreed. "The race."

We stood there awkwardly for another moment, neither quite ready to say goodnight.

"Well," I finally said, "I suppose this is goodnight then."

"Yeah," Vanessa said. "Goodnight, . And... good luck tomorrow."

"You too," I replied, hesitating. There was so much more I needed to say, but the words stuck in my throat.

Vanessa smiled softly, then turned and entered her room. As the door closed behind her, I felt a sense of loss, as if something precious had slipped through my fingers.

I stood there, staring at the closed door, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me. Finally, I turned and began the walk back to my own quarters.

The corridors were quiet now, most of the other contestants having retired for the night. My footsteps echoed in the empty space, matching the rhythm of my racing thoughts.

I replayed the evening in my thoughts, lingering on every smile, every laugh, every almost-touch. I'd never felt this way before, this strange mix of elation and uncertainty.

As I walked, I found my thoughts drifting to the race ahead. The challenges we would face, the unknown terrain of Nexus Prime. But even as I considered the difficulties, I felt a renewed sense of determination. I wanted to succeed, not just for myself, but for Vanessa.

I reached my quarters, the door sliding open with a soft hiss. As I stepped inside, the stark difference from Vanessa's presence struck me. The room felt colder, emptier somehow.

I began my nightly routine, preparing for bed even as my mind continued to race. As I settled into bed, my last thoughts were of Vanessa's smile and the adventures that awaited us tomorrow.