Resting under an alien-looking tree in Puran's vast, grassy plains gives me a moment to pause and reflect. Here, the landscape stretches endlessly, a stark contrast to the buzzing life of Chamaktasi where I first landed from Earth. Those initial days were spent mostly within the confines of Renee's expansive compound—situated on the Northern edge of the city, some 100 miles away from the center. Here, I tried to make sense of my new life.
When Renee finally caught a break from their calls in the city, that's when Chamaktasi opened up to me. That day, Renee picked out our outfits, pushing the envelope of what I'd ever consider wearing. I ended up in a revealing black dress, a choice that felt daring, a sharp departure from my usual. But I could not say no to the person around whom my life revolved here. Also, there was such excitement in their eyes that it seemed I should wear it.
Renee, opting for a striking contrast, wore a purple skirt-like costume that was as much a statement piece as it was a showcase of their physique. The fabric moved with them, hinting at the strength beneath while their purple-tinged hair added an otherworldly flair to their appearance. Seeing Renee like this, so unapologetically bold, was eye-opening. Their muscle definition was on full display, a clear sign of natural effort and dedication. It struck me then how Renee's choice to avoid cybernetic enhancements set them apart and made me forget my own awkward dress for a moment.
In Chamaktasi and the rest of the galaxy, where tech-augmented bodies were the norm, Renee's purely natural form was a rarity, making them stand out even more. This distinction wasn't just superficial; it placed Renee among a revered group, in the major worlds of the Galaxy, who successfully practiced the art of self-sculpting above artificial enhancements. As a result, they were allowed and even encouraged to exhibit themselves openly. And as Renee walked on the pathways of the city, eyes were turning around in reverence. I was slowly beginning to see the immense value placed on personal achievement and crafted beauty in this strange society.
The city of Chamaktasi, alive with more than 200 million people and sprawling over vast distances the size of big countries on Earth, was spread out across the continent on the planet of Shimara. Here people from all over the galaxy came to learn, love, and practice their craft. Often parts of the city had vastly different climates and terrains to their neighbours. Chamaktasi did not have metallic roads, but it did have beautiful paths to walk. And walking through Chamaktasi with Renee, the vastness of this uber megalopolis felt less daunting. Renee's confidence and natural elegance simply made the chaos evaporate.
They were introducing me to a world where traditional earthly ideas about gender, identity, and self were irrelevant, and where the true currency was the beauty and strength one carried, irrespective of how it was achieved. Renee, with their sculpted, unenhanced physique, was not just living proof of this ethos but a celebrated example of what many aspired to be.
After a long journey through Chamaktasi, we came to a secluded park, a slice of calm amidst the bustling city life. The park, with its colorful grass and a small lake at its heart, seemed all the more beautiful with the Shimaran sun slowly receding from it. It was here, beside the gentle waters of the lake, that Renee stopped. “Enjoying our home, Cuco?”
I only nodded in bliss. They sat down on the edge of the lake, their legs spread forward. Then they glanced up and motioned me to come sit with them. I obediently obliged by walking over toward them. But just as I was about to squat down, they held my hand.
“Rest here, on me, Janaana,” Renee said while motioning towards their lap. The gesture, intimate and bold, sent a rush of excitement and confusion through me. Despite a moment of hesitation, I looked back at them. The warmth of Renee's body, their piercingly beautiful eyes, the deity-like face, were enough to draw me in. I gave in and awkwardly placed my head on their lap. And I thank myself for that moment even now. Because beneath my hair and my neck, I could feel the softest, silkiest skin I had ever known. But I also realized the immense strength that lay beneath that fabric of skin.
As Renee started to gently comb through my hair with their slender fingers, their other hand was rubbing my chest. It was then that the accumulated tension of the entire journey and days in the new world began to melt away from my body. Their touch was deliberate, and soothing, each stroke easing the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. Our eyes met, and in that silent exchange, something passed between us, which I could only tell by the rhythm of my heartbeat.
Renee then leaned in, their lips meeting mine in a kiss that felt like a convergence of every moment that had led us here. It was a kiss that displayed the strength I'd seen in Renee with a gentleness I was only just discovering, drawing me deeper and deeper into this world. "You belong here, with me," Renee murmured against my lips before covering them again, their voice a soft yet firm declaration that spoke of more than just my place in Chamaktasi. It was an affirmation of my place by their side, in a world far away from where I originated.
In that serene park, surrounded by Chamaktasi, under the vast expanse of the Shimara sky, the world around us seemed to fade into the background. There, in Renee's embrace, the distinctions between strength and vulnerability, between belonging and being an outsider, seemed to vanish. The boundaries I'd known, the definitions I'd clung to, all dissolved in the face of the profound connection that Renee and I were building.
Now that I look back on it, that was one of the many moments where it was Renee and I, just the two of us in quiet. That was my favorite experience, one that I had again and again. But now that one of the suns of Puran is going down, there is less heat in the desert of grass. So, I must get up and start riding again. This mission needs to be accomplished soon so I can go back to Chamaktasi, at the edge of that lake in that park, sitting in the soft embrace of Renee.
