by Olivia Devon
She heard sounds. Birds. Wind. She turned her head and the sounds altered, some louder, some softer, affected by the direction of her head. Apparently, there were hidden speakers in this little room. Surround sound.
She heard a bee buzz and flit by her ear.
Really good surround sound. That was too close, there had to be speakers in the visor too.
“Katie Martinez,” said Command. “Your suit has been initialized, and your visor is working. Please enjoy your Lux Virtual Reality experience. There is an incoming scenario request from Aiko. Accept or decline?”
“Accept!” Katie said, grinning ear to ear. This was so exciting.
“If you accept, your avatar will appear in the caller’s scenario, complete with appearance and costuming that has been pre-selected for you, be aware that–”
“It’s fine,” Katie said impatiently. “I accept. I accept.”
“Katie?” It was Aiko’s voice.
“Aik?” Katie said. “Is that you?”
Before Aiko could answer Katie’s visor exploded into technicolor, like Dorothy’s world when she found herself in Oz.
Rolling hills, feathered in emerald green grass, stretched as far as the eye could see, the great expanse of color broken here and there with white dots of grazing sheep. She could hear them bleating. Could feel the breeze as it blew over the hills and caressed her skin. She looked down and she was wearing some kind of corset and skirt, dressed in a costume reminiscent of the 18th century Scottish Highlands.
Katie trailed her fingers over her collarbone and even though she knew she was wearing the S-suit, it felt like she was touching her bare skin. She ran her hands down the front of the corset and she could feel the coarse fabric under her palms. She inhaled deeply and the corset was snug and restricted her movement slightly.
“Aiko,” she said, struggling to talk over the giggles that were bubbling up out of her chest. “You did this. You chose this place didn’t you?”
“Well we’ve been getting sloshed on Scottish Whiskey all night. It seemed fitting.”
“Yeah and my obsession with men in kilts didn’t influence your decision at all?”
Katie felt an arm drape heavily over her shoulder, felt the heat of skin on skin and turned her head to see a very realistic likeness of her friend standing right next to her, a virtual flask in her hand and a smug smile on her pretty face.
“Well,” said Aiko. “Maybe a little. But only because I love a guy in a kilt too.”
Laughter erupted from beyond a nearby hill, and two men in kilts walked up over the top, trading jabs and chugging from flasks.
“Over here!” Aiko waved and pulled Katie along with her toward the men.
“Whoa, I’m walking…it feels like I’m walking! How?”
“Omni-directional treadmill,” Aiko said, glancing back over her shoulder, “On the floor of each rig-bay. It moves in any direction you do.”
Jack and Aaron approached and met them with smiles. Both looked the same as they did in real life. Same faces and overall appearance, but they were dressed in billowing, long-sleeved shirts, kilts and tall boots. It was quite a sight.
“Why are you all drinking from flasks?” Katie asked. “What’s the point? You can’t actually taste it.”
“Oh but we can!” Aaron grinned. “They’re a prototype we’re working on, VR accessories that work with the rig.”
“Fill ‘em with whatever you like,” said Aiko. “And the rig reads it as a prop in world, so you can drink while your avatar does.”
“Damn right,” said Jack with a hiccup. “It’s been a long, hard day.” He stalked toward them, a gleam in his digital eye, then he darted at the last minute and caught Aiko around the waist, sending her skirts flying as he twirled her around. “We all deserve a drink, and a wee bit of fun with a bonnie lass. It’s just what the Laird ordered!”
Aiko squealed and hammered her fists on his arms, laughing as he continued to twirl. “Put me down you brute,” she hollered. “Or I’ll tell Leo you’re mocking his accent!”
“Oh that would be a villainous move sassenach,” said Jack. “That’s a Scot with a temper, and ready access to sharp knives.”
Aaron snorted and raised his flask in approval of their game. Walking towards Katie he said. “Leo Wallace, a friend of ours, he’s Scottish, and a chef, and…well, I just didn’t want you to be left out of the joke.”
“Thanks.” Katie grinned and then tilted her head, stepping back to get a better look at him. Even as a digital doll, he was gorgeous. “This is really something,” she said, trying to pretend that her ogling was because of the tech, and not because he was smoking hot. “It’s so realistic, but not at all creepy. I don’t know how you’ve done it.”
“Magic.” Aaron wiggled his fingers in the air. “And a hell of a lot of code hours. Ugh.” He raised the flask to his lips again and took a sip.
Silence. Well this was a bit awkward. Jack and Aiko were running around sheep, pulling up clumps of grass and flinging them at each other. Katie was stranded here making small talk with a guy she just met, who she kind of liked, who might kind of like her too, and to top it all off they were hanging out in a virtual world inside a sex club.
She racked her brain for something to say. Something to break the ice.
“How do I see myself?” She asked. “I can see you guys obviously, but I have no idea what I look like. How do I–”
“Well, you look like you,” said Aaron. “Just digital.”
“Yeah but how? I mean, how did the computer get my likeness?”
“When it scanned you for the S-suit,” said Aaron. “It took a high resolution scan of your face, and placed it on a body texture that we had on file.”
“Okay so my face looks like me, but this body–”
“Yeah if you were to get naked, it wouldn’t look like you.”
“I see.”
“Honestly we do have those options for customers, if they want to create an avatar that looks exactly like them down to every little detail.” His eyes dropped to her cleavage and Katie thought she saw his avatar’s cheeks pink. “But we didn’t make all those features available for this event. It seemed like a recipe for trouble. So we turned that feature off.”
“Makes sense. I just wish I could get a look at myself,” Katie said. “You got a hand mirror in your kilt somewhere?”
Hang on. I’ve got a something even better,” said Aaron, tucking his flask away in his sporran. “Command: Scene Change. Castle Eldridge.”
The highlands whipped away, and suddenly Katie was standing in what looked like a long hallway in drafty stone castle. Jack and Aiko were gone, and she was alone.
“M’lady?” Aaron said, suddenly appearing in front of her.
He held out his hand and she took it, threading her arm through his, feeling the hard pressure of his body against hers, and a slight warmth.
“Up here,” he said, gesturing to a slim spiral staircase pierced by narrow windows. “Just at the top of the tower is the finest room in the castle. The mistress’s bodouir.” He smiled and stepped to the side, gesturing for her to precede him. “After you.”
Instinctively she reached down and gathered her skirts, noting with delight that her avatar was wearing dainty leather shoes with shiny buckles. She climbed up the first few steps, then tripped, gasping when she felt Aaron’s firm hands circle her waist, steadying her as they continued up.
“Whoopsie,” said Aaron. “Easy there.”
She blushed and wondered if the VR environment would show her avatar blushing too. Could it sense that? Her skin heating, and her pulse quickening, it was all so strange and…wait…
“Did I literally just trip over nothing?” she asked Aaron, glancing over her shoulder.
“Kind of,” he said, grinning. “Right now, in the rig-bay your suit is mimicking the virtual environment so that you can authentically interact with it. The fabric of the suit works in tandem with the harness, so when you go up stairs you’re lifte
d a little by the harness and the suit hardens under your feet to create the illusion of solid form. But it’s not a perfect recreation. Most of the magic happens in your own head. Human brains are highly susceptible to illusion, so most of what you’re feeling is because we’re tricking your senses, and your brain has decided to go along with it.”
“Wow.”
“You weren’t in any danger of actually falling,” said Aaron as they continued up the stairs. “The harness would prevent that, but–”
“Holy crap,” Katie said, cutting him off. “Can I please just live here?”
The room was magnificent. Ancient stone walls, massive wood beams overhead, a sumptuously decorated four poster bed and several pieces of intricately carved, gilded furniture, the kind you’d expect to find in a wealthy lady’s dressing room. Sparks of light danced across the floor, and when Katie looked up she saw they were caused by a crystal chandelier.
“I can’t say the decor in here’s exactly period authentic,” said Aaron.
“Who cares! It’s amazing and…oh! There’s a mirror!”
Set against a wall by one of the high narrow windows was a tall standing mirror, Katie darted to it, and then stopped short, mesmerized by her reflection.
“Oh wow,” she said softly, her hands traveling to her hair, her neck, down to her bodice and sliding to her waist, rubbing the fabric between her fingers with marvel. “It’s–”
“Beautiful,” said Aaron, coming up behind her and catching her gaze in the mirror.
Immediately she felt her cheeks flush, and her gaze flew back to her own face to see if the blush was apparent there.
It was.
Stupid VR technology giving her away. She flushed again, and her avatar’s cheeks pinked darker in response.
Aaron smiled, and stepped a little closer. She watched his reflection in the mirror, watched as his eyes glided over her form, lingering at her waist, trailing over her neck and up, focusing on a tendril of hair that had sprung from the mass that was coiled at her nape.
He reached out, touched the delicate curl with one finger and looked up, catching her gaze in the mirror.
“Katie, um, I wonder–” He cleared his throat, but before he could say anymore Aiko’s voice sounded in their ears.
“Hey, where the fuck did you guys go?”
Chapter Six
Aiko slapped a hand over her mouth and stifled a giggle.
“It’s not funny,” Katie warned. They were in one of Jack Calvert’s cars. Jack had insisted that Katie let Malcolm drive her home, and Aiko had insisted on coming along for the ride.
“It’s hilarious actually,” said Aiko. “You standing there all breathless and quivering of bosom in that corset. Aaron all Studly McHotstuffin in his pixel kilt. His eyes meet yours, your cheeks flush, he’s just about to declare his lust for you and boom, yours truly busts that shit up cold.”
“Yeah, your timing is impeccable.”
“What’s the girl version of blue-balls?” Aiko asked. “Icy ovaries? Purple titties?”
Katie rolled her eyes. “What. Ever. You’re imagining things.”
“Yeah I don’t think so,” Aiko teased. “I think you got it bad. Which is hi-lar-ious. Because just a few hours ago you were saying it was weird to like him.” Aiko tapped a finger on her chin, and her grin was mocking. “Fangirling, you called it. Said he’d never like you back because you’re not a supermodel and–”
“Oh, my god,” Katie said sighing dramatically. “You’re like a human tape recorder, jeez. I know what I said, but then I started seeing things your way –”
“Oh, yeah?” Aiko crossed her arms over her chest and settled back into her seat with a look of satisfaction on her face.
Dammit, Katie thought with irritation. This whole conversation had been one of Aiko’s little traps.
Katie sneered and stuck out her tongue as Aiko smirked at her in triumph and waggled her eyebrows.
“I knew you liked him.”
“Shut up.”
He’d really wanted to kiss her last night.
During what was the highlight of his career, after having given probably the most important speech of his professional life, all Aaron Eldridge could think about was Katie Martinez. The way her cheeks pinked up when she was slightly embarrassed, the way the tiny dimples at the corner of those strawberry lips flashed when she smiled. He’d really like a chance to spill tea on her again. And then lick it off. He replayed last night’s clumsy episode in his mind. Imagined the shiny wet trails of liquid curving over the swell of her breasts and disappearing under the fabric of her dress.
Aaron shivered at the memory. God, she was hot.
The launch for HL2 had gone very well. Eldridge Innovations’ announcement was dominating the tech blogs and was the featured story of every news cycle on broadcast and cable television. Aaron was definitely happy about that. What he wasn’t so happy about was the month he’d promised he’d spend in HyperLyfe. It was impractical, and he was sure it would be perceived as an obvious publicity stunt.
The PR firm his company employed and his own in-house marketing department thought a month in Virtual Reality was a brilliant idea. In his morning meeting with the team, Susan Charles, the exec in charge of the launch, showed him the press release outlining how Aaron would spend his time in-world, and an itinerary for each week. They had everything organized and informed him he’d be hosting daily live streams of his adventures. They had a list of planets for Aaron to visit while in HyperLyfe, user-created communities that they thought showcased the best of virtual reality.
Truth was, he’d been barely listening during the meeting. He trusted his team to sort it all out. So, rather then bother memorizing the minutia, instead he found himself daydreaming of the Scottish Highlands, of a pretty brunette in a tartan skirt and woolen corset. Bright-eyed with a sweet smile, a sexy ass, and an even sexier brain.
Somebody said Celestia, and Aaron was rocked out of his reverie.
“Mmm? What’s that?” He said, straightening in his chair. “What about Celestia?”
“We’ve got you scheduled to visit that planet later in the week,” said one of the marketing guys. “We have you hitting all the hot spots for the first few days. Dance clubs and race tracks, a couple of sci-fi places to really draw in the male fourteen to twenty-two age group. That’s our initial target–”
“Scratch that,” said Aaron waving his hand. “Our target demographic for VR is vastly different than for the rest of our games. Dance clubs and NASCAR aren’t going to impress anyone. They’ve got that stuff in real life. Celestia is what we should be leading with.”
The guy stiffened and Aaron stared him down. “For that matter, your initial suggestion is way off base too. Are you under the impression that only teenage boys game? Or that only males enjoy racing and sci-fi?”
“Well, yeah.” The guy scoffed and shot Aaron an arrogant look. “I mean, come on. Women don’t–”
Aaron stood from his chair and placed both hands on the conference table. “You’re fired,” he said. “I don’t have time for that attitude, and I really don’t have time to educate you on why you’re wrong. Do you even read the monthly earnings reports? Has it escaped your attention that half the game designers at this company are women?”
The guy stood up from his chair, red-faced, fists bunching up like he was preparing for a fight.
“Aaron,” Susan said, throwing a pitying glance at the guy. “Can’t we talk about this? I’m sure–”
“No,” said Aaron. “He’s fired.”
“This is bullshit!” the guy yelled. E.I.’s security, ever present on the other side of the conference room’s glass wall, saw the scene and waltzed in, ready for Aaron’s instruction.
“Meeting’s over everyone,” said Aaron, and people wasted no time clearing the room, including Susan, although she kept trying to catch Aaron’s eye as she backed out of the room. Aaron wasn’t having it. He quietly informed security of the sudden change in personnel,
and two burly guys in black suits lifted the shell-shocked marketing guy by the elbows and escorted him from the building.
“Drama Queen.” Aiko strode into the room and hopped up onto the table, folding her rainbow tights covered legs crisscross style. “What’d that guy do? Spill tea on you?”
“Stop it,” Aaron warned with a smirk. “Nah, I just sensed some man-baby vibes. He had a no girls allowed in gaming attitude and I won’t have that shit here.”
“Fuck no,” said Aiko, snagging a donut from a box on the table. “What an ass. I spend like 95% of my time gaming. And shit, Katie, she’s like the best game creator I know.”
“That reminds me,” Aaron said, shuffling through a stack of papers, “can you get me in touch with her?”
“Oooooooo.” Aiko stuffed the donut in her mouth and picked up a nearby piece of paper and fanned herself with it dramatically. “Whoo! Thum-body hath a cwush,” she teased.
“What?” Aaron said, walking around the table toward her. “I don’t speak donut, care to try that again?”
Aiko chomped the donut, chewed and swallowed. She grinned up at Aaron smugly. “You like my KitKat. I knew you would.”
“Grow up.” Aaron flicked her on the arm. “Yeah I like her, so gimmee her phone number or email or something would ya? I want to ask her out.”
“You’ll be seeing her this week,” said Aiko. “Just ask her then.” She held up the piece of paper and waved it under Aaron’s nose.
“What are you talking about?” Aaron snatched the paper from her and scanned the front. “This is the marketing team’s itinerary.”
Aiko stuffed the donut back in her mouth, and got on tip-toe to lean over Aaron’s arm. “Right there.” She pointed. “Catalina Celestina, owner and creator of Celestia. That’s Katie.”
Aaron stared at her. “You’re shitting me.”
“I shit you not, stretch,” she said. “May I live a thousand lives and never eat a bear claw again.”
Katie leaned against the doorway of her spare bedroom, now filled with a crew of six men hard at work erecting a giant black box, and looked at the handwritten note. Again. It was like the thirtieth time she’d read it in as many minutes.
