AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sorry, if you just want to pay first, we’ll begin.” The Love Bot said matter-of-factly. I swiped my hand, and the payment went through. I watched as he checked my details.
“Excellent, now, dear Vanessa, where were we?” His voice changed back to a silky droll.
“I need some advice on my... romantic situation.” I couldn’t believe I was doing this, discussing my love life with a computer. But then again, what did I have to lose?
“Of course, my dear,” the Love Bot replied, its eyes twinkling. “Please, tell me about your predicament.”
Taking a deep breath, I explained my situation with Zorak – our first meeting, how his laughter had charmed me, and the undeniable chemistry we shared. And then I described how I had rejected his advances. The love bot listened attentively, nodding and occasionally interjecting with insightful questions.
“Ah, I see,” it said once I’d finished my story. “It seems you and Zorak have quite the connection. Have you considered expressing your feelings to him?”
“Sort of,” I admitted, biting my lip. “I just don’t know how he’ll react. What if he’s moved on?”
“It is unlikely that someone who has expressed as deep a connection as Zorak has would move on so quickly.” The bot shook its head. “A deep-rooted bond cannot be so easily broken.”
“What if Zorak is wrong?” I implored. “He might think he feels deeply for me, but it could be simple infatuation. It might go away as soon as he has me.”
The bot gave me a look that had me squirming. It was almost as if it was calling me ignorant without the words. “Do you think that he would pursue you this hard if it would all go away once he had you?”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “I guess not,” I muttered, still feeling uncertain. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the bot must be right. Why would Zorak try so hard with me if he would give up easily? There was no way he had.
“That’s right,” the bot said, breaking through my thoughts. “But there’s only one way to figure this out. You have to talk to him.” I pushed to my feet, knowing the bot was right. “You’re lucky, you know. To have found love. It’s not something everyone even gets a chance at. You shouldn’t push it away just because it scares you.”
“Hey… There is someone out there for everyone, even you,” I said, feeling sorry for the bot as I turned towards the door again.
The conversation had helped me make up my mind. I was going to see Zorak.
“Vanessa, you’re being ridiculous,” I muttered as I approached the grand entrance to the Orkarian Embassy, clutching a batch of homemade cookies in a transparent container. “He’s probably just busy with work. It’s not like he’s your boyfriend or anything.”
Upon entering the embassy, I was immediately struck by the vastness of the lobby, with a massive holographic tree in the center of the room. The soft hum of the air filtration system filled the air, mixed with hushed conversations among the Orkarians.
“May I help you?” inquired a tall, green-skinned Orkarian woman wearing a crisp uniform.
“Hi, um, I’m Vanessa,” I stammered nervously. “I’m here to see Zorak. I brought him some cookies.” I held up the container as proof of my intentions.
“Ah, Vanessa!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “Zorak has mentioned you many times. Come, let me take you to him.” She gestured for me to follow her, and I obliged, feeling excitement and apprehension.
Several other Orkarians seemed to recognize me as we walked through the embassy. They greeted me warmly, their voices lilting and musical, making me feel like I was already part of their community. I couldn’t help but blush. I had no idea Zorak had talked about me so much.
“Here we are,” the woman announced as we approached a set of ornate double doors. “Zorak is inside, tending to his duties. Please, go ahead.”
“Thank you,” I replied, taking a deep breath as I pushed the doors open and stepped into the inner chambers of the embassy.
At the far end of the chamber, a large, circular table dominated the space, surrounded by representatives from various alien species. I spotted Zorak standing beside a trio of beings arguing fiercely over what appeared to be a holographic map of trade routes. I huddled into a seat without him seeing me.
“Order, please!” Zorak called out, raising his voice above the din of disagreement. The arguing parties fell silent, turning their attention to him. “We have reached an impasse regarding the proposed tariffs on interstellar imports. Perhaps we can find a solution that benefits all parties involved?”
“Impossible!” one of the representatives scoffed. “We cannot possibly compromise on this issue!”
“Let us not dismiss the possibility so quickly,” Zorak countered, his voice calm yet commanding. “Perhaps we can adjust the tariffs to compensate for any perceived disadvantages?”
Watching him navigate the debate, I couldn’t help but be impressed by his diplomatic prowess. He listened intently to each representative’s concerns, ensuring they felt heard and respected. It was clear that Zorak had a talent for finding common ground among disparate viewpoints.
“All right,” Zorak said after an intense exchange of ideas, “what if we implement a tiered system? This would allow for flexibility based on the individual needs of each planet while still maintaining a fair and equitable trade environment.”
“That just might work,” one of the representatives conceded, stroking their chin thoughtfully.
“Let us discuss the details further,” another agreed, nodding in appreciation.
