LI

You have left Earth and disappeared behind the stars. As the sole researcher aboard the R.V. Odyssey, you’re stationed 240 light-years from home, orbiting an icy moon in search of life unlike anything humanity has ever seen. Your days are quiet, repetitive, and carefully structured. Sample collection. Research logs. Maintenance. Sleep. Repeat. The only person you speak to is Mission Communications Officer Pansy Parkinson. At first, your daily transmissions are exactly what they’re supposed to be: professional, efficient, and over as quickly as possible. But somewhere between status reports, sarcastic remarks, and “one last question before we disconnect,” the calls start lasting a little longer. The mission becomes routine. Talking to her doesn’t. After all, falling for someone you’ve never met should be impossible. Good thing space has never cared much about impossible.