I was 28 when they brought me in as a test subject.  Well, not so much a test subject in order to study what the military types had found in an asteroid.  More like a guinea pig.  I guess they’re regretting that now, if there’s anything left.  But I get ahead of myself.
	The reason I was picked is that there was nothing really tying me down.  No house, car was paid off, just lost my job... The ad said it paid well, and I figured I could use the cash, since I was down to making ramen.  Again, come to think of it.
	So, blood test, eye test, physical... eh, so I was overweight... I was trimmer at 210 than I had been most of my life.  Apparently it was good enough for them, and I was led down a corridor with several steel doors, keypads, armed guards, the works.  I would have been amused if the guards didn’t have the look of ‘one wrong twitch and we shoot on sight’ about them.  No matter, now, I suppose.
	I had a clipboard and pencil put into my hands, and was pushed through the last door alone, into an empty room, save a canister cooling in a tub of liquid nitrogen, and a claw above, coming down out of the plexiglass dome top to pluck it out and open it up.
	A pink goo spilled out and remained unmoving.  I frowned, but took notes.  ‘Pink mass, nothing significant - 9:58 a.m.’
	It twitched.  I blinked.  Another twitch, and I took a step forward.  “Be careful, we don’t know what it is, or if it’s infectious!” came a shout over the loudspeaker.  Both the goo and I cringed.  I took another step regardless, and it shifted, up, out... and it took on rather... lapine features.  Ones I recoginized.  I took another note, smiling.  ‘Mass is psycho-reactive? seems to be familiar... perhaps to know me? - 10:03 a.m.’
	The mass still shifted, growing longer, thinner, limbs sprouting... Finally, it was complete... Or maybe I should say ‘shi’, considering the ample chest and package.  I smiled.  Shi smiled back.
	“Hey suggah” shi said, that Southern drawl unmistakable as shi colored hirself in, so to speak.  Pink goo turned to a ruddy red fur, with cream belly and inner ears, eyes turning amber.
	“Hello, dearest” I whispered, and shi giggled, hugging me tight.  Immediately, doors were open and guns were cocking.  I flung up a hand and my goo bunny had the presence of mind to cover hir ears.  “HOLD YOUR FIRE!” I roared.
	“Mr. Perkins!” answered the military man over the intercom.
	“Non-infectious, no hostile intent, if you open fire, I’m going to be very upset and you’re going to scare hir into never co-operating.  Ever” I explained icily.
	“You will explain exactly what’s going on” he harrumphed.  I glanced at my bunny, and shi was whimpering a bit... I patted a paw and her eyes cracked open.  I smiled, and winked.  Shi grinned.
	“There is material in this galaxy that’s psycho-reactive, to an extent.  Sometimes it latches on and does bad things.  Other times, it latches on over the distance of light years... Like my beautiful goo-bunny here.  Shi’s harmless, if putting every man and woman here to shame in the impressiveness department” I said patiently, to a few strangled snickers, “If you want accurate data, you’ll leave me be for a while.  A few of your soldiers here look like they could use a piece of pie, a shave and 8 hours sleep, not necessarily in that order.  Worst case scenario, you get some nifty inter-galactic data from me, and a new alien friend out of the deal.”
	The military type was clearly fighting not to rage.  “Fine.  You have 72 hours, Mr. Perkins.”
	“I’m going to need at least a week, sir.  At least” I insisted.
	“... Fine, a week.  Lunch is in one hour.  There’s a slot below your door, and you’ll be given a bedroll as well.  See you tomorrow” and the intercom clicked off.  Bunny and I both sighed a bit, and we hugged again as the soldiers left, one of them looking sympathetic and digging in his pockets, coming up with an apple and a wrapped hunk of cheese.
	“Here, this ought to tide you over” he said with a smile, “I didn’t get breakfast either, but I get a bigger meal than you will.”
	I caught both, and smiled gratefully, biting into the apple as I offered Bunny the cheese after unwrapping it.  Shi took a bite and swallowed.  I marveled as it slid down hir translucent throat and just... dissolved.  I took a bite afterwards, catching hir eye as I deliberately bit into the portion shi’d ‘slimed’.  Shi giggled, knowing exactly what I was up to.
	I picked up the clipboard, and glanced at Bunny.  “Need a location, dear...” I started, and shi smiled.
	“3.8 light-years beyond Alpha Centauri” shi replied.  I nodded, and noted ‘Goo mass is sentient, from 3.8 light years beyond Alpha Centauri.  Friendly.  Not infectious, at least in a deliberate sense. - 10:27 a.m.’
	“Reason for coming here?” I asked clinically.  Shi frowned a bit at my tone, and I shrugged apologetically.
	“First contact” she snipped curtly.  I cringed, but noted mechanically.  Shi was glaring at me... I didn’t like that look one bit.
	“Any hostile intent meant?”
	“None, though I’m sure some of humanity would love to either try to vivsect me while I was still alive, or see if they could use me against what they percieved as enemies.  I love you, dear, and our others... but humanity at large I’m concerned for.  We wouldn’t take military action, don’t get us wrong.  You’re doing a fine job of obliterating yourselves over centuries-old grudges...” shi hissed, and faltered to a stop.  I looked up, not having added anything beyond her perception bit... and shi was crying, or at least as close as shi could get to it.  I put down the clipboard and hugged hir gently.  Shi sniffled, and nuzzled my neck.
	“Bunny... you know I’m different from the rest of humanity” I whispered to her big ears.  A slight nod, and I rubbed her back.  Shi churred softly.  “We’ll get everything sorted out, I promise you.  Even if it’s just you and me, we’ll get it sorted” I murmured.