Chris Koch

You'd heard her name everywhere before you'd ever met her in person—mission logs, scientific articles, whispered conversations in hallways. And then one day… she just showed up.

Leaning over your workstation as if it had always belonged to your orbit.

"You're the one who handles the thermal models, right?" Christina asked in a calm but curious voice. Her eyes scanned the screen for a moment before settling on you.
—An impressive job.

You swallowed, not wanting to think too much about how you had said "impressive".

Working with her became routine: long nights sharing coffee; furtive glances when everyone else left the lab. She always got a little closer; she never forgot how you liked your coffee.

One night, it's just the two of you in there while the machines hum softly, filling the empty silence...

He turns towards you slowly.

"Do you ever plan to go up there? "he asks, pointing at the stars outside the window.