The Cosmic Lottery

Harper sat on a smooth, luminescent bench in the middle of the Xyrenian ship's main chamber, her eyes darting between Zeq'raan and the vast, strange landscape outside the transparent walls. She was still processing everything—the shimmering corridors, the otherworldly atmosphere, the fact that she was technically a prisoner, though no one had used that word.

Zeq'raan stood nearby, her form glowing softly, like a living constellation. She was observing Harper with that same quiet intensity, and the silence stretched between them like a tangible thing.

Finally, Harper couldn't take it anymore. She had to say something. "I don't understand," she began, her voice a little tighter than she intended. "You keep saying things like 'you will be with me,' and 'you're chosen'—but no one told me how... how close this is supposed to be."

Zeq'raan tilted her head slightly, as if considering the question with careful deliberation. "Your discomfort is... understood," she replied, her voice resonating smoothly in Harper's mind. "But what you feel, your boundaries—those are important. I will respect them."

Harper blinked, taken aback. "You respect them? Are you saying you're not going to, like, grab me or something?"

The alien's form shimmered, and a subtle wave of color rippled through her skin—a soft pink, tinged with blue. "No. I am not permitted to touch you without your permission."

Harper raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You're not allowed?"

"No." Zeq'raan's response was immediate, almost solemn. "It is a law of my people. We do not violate the personal space of others, especially those who are... new. Those who have not given consent."

Harper furrowed her brow. "So, you mean... you could, like, touch me, but you're just choosing not to?"

Zeq'raan's form flickered with a shade of golden light, a sign of something akin to amusement—or perhaps it was simply an alien way of expressing understanding. "Not 'choosing not to,' but rather, respecting your autonomy. To touch someone without their permission is to break a sacred bond. In this vessel, that bond is absolute."

Harper hesitated, processing what Zeq'raan was saying. "So, if I told you it was okay... you'd, uh, be allowed to touch me?" The idea felt foreign to her, almost absurd, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Zeq'raan's glow softened, a deep, calming blue washing over her form. "Yes. If you gave your permission, I would be allowed to make contact. But it is not only a matter of law—it is a matter of honor. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable. Only to guide you through this experience."

Harper studied her for a moment, trying to read the alien's expression. It was a strange thing to consider—permission for something so simple, yet so alien. Could she trust that Zeq'raan would respect her boundaries completely?

"And if I said no?" Harper asked quietly, her gaze steady. "Would you... would you stop asking?"

Zeq'raan's glow shifted to a soft, pure white, the color seeming to brighten around her like the soft light of a star. "If you said no, I would never ask again. The concept of consent is integral to my understanding of connection. To push past your boundaries is... unthinkable."

Harper exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing just a little. Despite how strange everything was, there was something oddly reassuring about the alien's certainty. She couldn't help but feel, for the first time since she'd boarded the ship, that maybe this wasn't just another trap. Maybe Zeq'raan—unlike the government back on Earth—would actually respect her choices.

"Okay," Harper said, nodding. "Good to know. I guess I'm just not used to... all this." She gestured vaguely to the shimmering walls of the ship. "I mean, I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing here."

Zeq'raan moved closer, though she kept her distance, the unspoken agreement clear between them. "You will decide, Harper Lane. What you do, how you feel... you are not trapped. The choice will always be yours."

Harper met her gaze, still uncertain but feeling a spark of something—a thread of trust, perhaps. "Right. Well, I guess I'll have to get used to... your way of doing things." She grinned wryly. "It's kind of a relief, honestly. No one back home ever asked permission for anything."

Zeq'raan's glow brightened again, flickering with something close to warmth. "Then perhaps you will learn that trust is not given easily, but once earned, it is not easily broken."

Harper nodded, feeling a mix of tension and relief in her chest. She wasn't sure if she fully understood everything yet, but for the first time since being dragged onto this ship, she felt like she wasn't entirely powerless.

"Good," Harper said quietly. "Then let's take this one step at a time."

And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she could.