Karmic Romance

"Yes, of course. You will excuse my ignorance, but I know chose you at random, though I believe you will serve as a good representation of your kind. As I stated, I am interested in human choices regarding love and mating, so I shall be presenting you with the opportunity to make a number of selections and changes in what I have determined will be your future mate-for-life...what you would term a wife. Observe the android-simulacrum I created for you."

Light shimmered again. The "mannequin" took on a distincly female form, complete with hair, nails, facial features, even clothing..garments similar to the ones on your own body. You cannot make out specific features, except the...android?...appears to be fairly average in height and build. It almost seems to be breathing.

"I will explain further. The android is a model of your what I have determined shall be your future mate. Her name is Jeanine Nelly Dough, a fairly ordinary human like yourself. Her age, interests, level of education, and personality are largely compatible with your own. She has physical and mental traits which will prove appealing to you, and others you may wish to change. Fortunately, I am not restricted in space and time as are humans, and thus I may transpose the Jeannine Nelly Dough of any parallel world and timeline at will, replacing one with another."

"The experiment will proceed thusly: on the podium, some of Ms. Dough's traits will be listed-descriped, the symbols rearranging themselves into your language. After you ascertain she is indeed largely compatible, you will be presented with a sub-list of traits, most of which will not be appealing to your nature. You can choose to change any one at a single time. However, the change may trigger another alteration in traits, which you will not be able to predict. You are required to make at least three changes to her nature, each of which will be reflected in the android model's appearance and/or actions."

"After you make at least three choices, you may quit the experiment if you wish. I will then wipe your memory of this experience, and return your form to Earth. After the span of one year, I will arrange probabilties so that you and Ms. Dough meet, circumstances lead you to begin dating, and after three years the two of you will marry and remain together for no fewer than twenty-five years. There is no choice for you or Ms.Dough in this. But after one quarter of a century, I will withdraw my presence and you two may stay married or separate as you wish."

"If you find any of the unexpected side-effects of your changes objectionable, you may appeal by pressing the flashing silver triangle on the surface of the podium. This may result in several possible outcomes. The change in Ms. Dough may be replaced with another random change, nothing may happen and the situation will stay the same, or you will suffer a transformation, usually similar to that of Ms. Dough but not always so."

"Before we begin, I will do as you asked and reveal my aspect to you. My name in your language is Aposteos-Mordial, as a courtesy and to satisfy your curiosity."

Your mind is reeling as you struggle to take all of this in, but though it all seems to be insane, part of you accepts what the...alien? demon? demigod?...is saying to be true.

A figure begins to take shape in the most distant point in the room...Aposteos is...