I stood on the outskirts. Looking on as he gave instructions to maintain a congenial atmosphere with the visitors. He was preaching about the dissension within his people and that they must trust him.

Magnetically I was drawn closer to him. He was unlike any being I had met before. I had been chosen to arrive first on their planet as an ambassador for my people. To explain that we were on an exploration mission. I had yet to meet him but for three days I had watched on as he calmed the fears in his people. This was my first mission although I was positive there had never been a leader quite like him.

I moved through the swarms of people that were gathered around him. I had to talk to him...not only to explain the situation but to be near him. My secretary walked next to me, not questioning my determination to meet this leader. Behind her, my second in command. If I should perish it was his job to continue the mission, preparing the way for the scientists hovering close to the planet's atmosphere.

As he talked on I managed to secure a place to his right. His second in command kept his eyes locked on me and my companions. Though our bodies had adapted to the climate it was evident to this man that I was from the ship that had landed 36 hours before. He watched us with scrutiny. My secretary, Maria, squirmed under his stare. She had not wanted to come to the planet. She felt that it was a dangerous mission and that it would end in violence. Her loyalty to me was the only thing that had finally won out in the end. As this second officer kept his eyes on us, I could feel her fear filling the air around us. I turned and gave her a reassuring smile. She responded with a doubtful look.

The speech ended and the second in command approached us. He matched Maria's fear with unbridled distrust.

"He'll see you now." The young man announced coldly. We began to follow him, but he stopped and stared at me. "Only you."

"No. That's not happening." My second in command firmly told him. Alex stepped forward to walk along side of me, but I held my arm out.

"I'll go alone." I said, trying to preserve my composure while my inward self feared for my safety and that of my companions. The man before me gave a curt nod and walked on. I glanced at Alex and Maria who mirrored my thoughts. They knew better than to defy my direct order, but they were both considering it.

"Stay here. I'll send word within a few minutes." I promised them. I couldn't have them endangering the mission on my account.

I quickly caught up to the man and walked behind him. My head held high. We entered a building that I could only guess was the home of their leader. People rushed in and out without looking at us. I could feel their worry and fear. It was on our account. I took a deep breath. It was going to take everything I had learned to convince these people we were not here to destroy them.

We entered a small room. The leader was staring out the window. I thought I would lose myself as he turned and smiled softly at me. The fear abandoned my body, replaced by an uncanny feeling of safety.

"You can go." He told his second in command.

"I don't think..." The young man began to argue looking from me to his leader.

"Michael, send word to her companions that she is safe."

"You shouldn't be left alone." Michael replied.

The leader's smiled deepened as he regarded me. I could feel a blush creep into my cheeks. "You're not an assassin, are you?" He asked me with a hint of light humor.

"No...no!" I stuttered, surprised by his question.

He chuckled and waved Michael away. Michael shook his head in disagreement, but went on his way. "I'm sorry for that, but my people are on edge. They aren't used to foreigners. Much less foreigners who hover in our atmosphere without communicating their intentions." He said without malice.

"Our communicators were affected by the radiation above your planet." I explained, not looking directly at him. I was telling the truth, of course, but for some reason I could not meet his intense gaze. The room suddenly felt smaller. Not exactly uncomfortable but definitely smaller.

"Please sit down." He urged as he took a seat. I sat down across from him. Silence ensued as he regarded me. "I've seen you."

My eyes widened in embarrassment. "I, uh, I was just waiting till you had your people calm." Maintain your composure, I commanded myself. An ambassador shouldn't stumble for explanations. He was going to think I was a joke.

"I understand." He replied, his smile returning. There was something about that smile...I felt I could get lost in it. I wanted to get lost in it.

"My people are here on an exploration mission. Our scientists are staying back until you have given permission for them to continue." I managed to say. I wanted to gain control. I had never been one for fanciful ideas about romance. Nothing had came between myself and my studies at the academy. That's why I had been chosen. Now I was letting this man...a man I didn't even know turn my body inside out with a mere glance.

"My name is Max." He told me as I struggled. "You're their ambassador?"

I had made the wrong impression. He was doubting my people's judgment. "I'm qualified." I answered.

He shook his head, dropping it to stare at his feet. "I'm sure you are. It's my qualifications I question," He paused, clearing his throat, "I'm a new leader. My people completely have placed their faith in me."

I leaned forward, noticing the dark circles that played under his eyes. He looked tired. I reached my hand out, placing it lightly on his leg. Why I had done it I couldn't fathom...it just felt like what I should do. He moved his hand slowly over mine, resting it there. The warmth from it spread all over my body. He looked into my eyes. His sadness gripping me.

"It's a responsibility I never asked for." He finally said.

"You should rest." I told him as I started to move my hand away. He tightened his hold on it for a moment.

"Please." He muttered. I relaxed my hand as he continued to hold it. Turning it over to look at the palm. There was nothing else at that moment. Just this man...Max...holding my hand as if it gave him the strength he needed. "What should I call you?" He whispered.

"Liz." I returned in a shaky voice.

"Will you and your companions join me tonight for dinner?"

I forced a smile even though I felt as if my nerve endings were standing on end. The thought that I was never leaving this planet slammed into my mind. I was in love with him. It was as if everything in my life had lead up to this very point in time. That I had only half lived until I walked through that door. No matter what I would remain.

"Yes."

***

"What?! What were you thinking?!" Maria demanded when I rejoined my friends.

"Calm down. He's perfect...I mean he's perfectly polite. He isn't going to hurt us, Maria. I found him absolutely charming."

"Liz, that's how they do it. They disarm you with politeness then..." Maria's traced her finger across her neck as an example. "You wake up without a head."

"Maria, my educated guess is that if you didn't have a head then you most certainly would not be waking up." Alex joked.

"Yeah, laugh it up now, while you still have a mouth to laugh from." She warned, marching her way back to our ship.

I wanted to share with my closest friends the feeling I had when I met Max, but words didn't seem adequate enough to cover what I felt. It was the knowledge that you had found what you had desperately searched for, longed for but never knew you were missing. Like a blind man who had imagined the beauty of the sky from description only then for the first time was able to see it. Words could not express the difference.

***

We filed into the large banquet room after Max's other guests had been seated. He motioned us to the top of the long table. I sat at his right while Alex was seated across the table, next to a woman giving me and my companions the once over and Maria, to her dismay, was placed on other side of Michael who sat between us.

"Do you think I could trade seats with you?" I heard her whisper to Michael. I cringed. You didn't "trade" seats at a diplomatic dinner.

"No." Michael answered gruffly. I glanced past him to see Maria giving him one of her I'd-like-to-kill-you stares. She'd be fine as long as she was mad. Maria mad far outweighed Maria scared.

"I should make introductions..." Max said, looking at me with a casual smile. I was put instantly at ease. I didn't care if he returned my new found love...it was enough to be next to him. "Sitting next to your second officer is my sister, Isabel." She looked up and flashed a brilliant smile. If it was possible to hear Alex suck in from across the table, I thought I had.

"Next to her is my mother." He went on. I turned and greeted his mother with a nod. She returned it, also smiling. His mother glanced hesitantly as Max reached out and brushed his hand along my arm, pointing to Michael. He had done on it on purpose and his mother threw us a worried expression. He didn't catch it, but I had.

"This is Michael, my second in command. You remember him from earlier."

"How could we forget?" Maria blurted out. A few snickers passed along the table. I really wished I had been next to her so I could give her a swift kick under the table.

"Next to Michael is our family friend, Tess." I gazed at the girl he pointed to. She seemed uninterested in all of us and only briefly looked up.

"The rest of table is counsel members." Max explained.

I cleared my throat. "This is my second officer, Alex and my secretary, Maria."

"Is she really useful or do you bring her along to fill the silence?" Michael asked sporting a smirk. This was going to be a long dinner.

"Michael!" Max warned.

"It's okay. I'm used to overgrown men with a need to wield their power over women." Maria retorted with a perfectly pleasant expression gracing her face.

"You talk too much." Michael flatly told her.

"That's usually the big man in charge answer. I find planets change but men are the same everywhere."

"Really? How many planets have you visited?" Isabel questioned with interest. Maria squirmed in her seat.

"Just this one. Maria gets carried away sometimes." Alex informed her. Isabel turned to him. I could feel her deepening appraisal of him. Alex shifted a little.

"So, I must deduce your knowledge of men is rather limited." Michael baited further.

"You'd like to think so."

"I don't have any interest either way." He coolly said.

"Michael, are you through irritating our guests?" Max questioned. He was met by silence. "Good."

The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. Michael and Maria refrained from further arguments, both settling into a thick quiet. Alex admired Isabel and asked her numerous questions about her defense skills. She responded well to the attention. Meanwhile Max and I exchanged light conversation under his mother's watchful eye.

When we got up to leave Max asked me to step outside with him for a moment. We watched as the two moons rose higher in the sky. "I'm glad you came tonight." He said, breaking the silence.

"Me too."

"Tell your people they may land."

"Thank you." I answered with full appreciation.

"No, thank you, Liz." Max reached up and ran his hand along my cheek. "You feel it too, don't you?"

"Yes." Came my breathy reply.

He smiled, leaning down to my ear. "It's destiny." He whispered, sending shivers down my spine.