13
BC and Caesar now took centre stage at the FOE General Conference.
“We,” said BC, pausing to ensure everyone was paying attention, and for effect. “We are on the threshold of a dream. And we have got a gift; an opportunity that our world’s creators never had. And,” he added, as an aside, “who knows what they might have created, had they been given this opportunity.
“So, what is this gift? It is amazing. We, the creatures of this world, have come into existence before the world that is to contain us!”
“The work has commenced, of world building,” said Caesar, “and we cannot allow ourselves to get it wrong. Messes are nasty things, and damn difficult to sort out. It simply has to be got right at the very first shot. Goodfellow?”
“Ah, yes,” said Goodfellow, absently. He was clearly researching the legs of the three goddesses. He was a rarity in Screenside – single, despite being eligible on practically all counts. The average Screenside being would normally have become partnered with a member of the opposite sex in about a year after consciousness. It was rumored that Goodfellow had strange hobbies - probably research into religion - that kept him busy at night. Other rumors had it that he had a very different type of family, possibly very large and dysfunctional, and that Goodfellow, poor fellow, was living a high-stress life, into which he dared not introduce a partner.
But whether the rumors were based on fact or not, he was an extremely capable and dedicated administrator, overseeing the rapidly growing functions of the Humanity Centre and its many sprouting branches, which made him also the default host at public gatherings in the Great Hall.
Goodfellow roused himself. “The computer gaming club is invited to move in now,” said he. “Mr. Lee, please come on for your part in today’s program.” He addressed the assembly again. “It is one of the most important developments of all time. Mr. BC and Mr. Caesar were discussing it, not long before this meeting began, and I was privileged to hear. Their opinion is that an unexpected, unforeseen and unplanned need of a small section of our society, may have commenced moving us in the direction that society might follow towards evolution, as targeted. Game clubs! Who would have thought? Mr. Lee, organizer of Manhattan Shanghai Contact Martial Arts Club, please present Bodyline.”
Lee, a tall, athletic and handsome Chinese fellow, ran onto the stage. “Looks like we could have a language problem here,” he said in Chinese, sparking a round of laughter. “Because you folks don’t look Chinese. Okay, I’ll try out my English. I hope everyone is good at pidgin.” Oh, Martin! Googling made everyone fluent in every language.
Lee became serious. “As you know, Screenside has quite a few game clubs, where we play hyper-fast versions of Humanside combat computer games - in which we are the combatants! Speeds are so fast that we are unable to tell when contact has been made. Lots of problems in scoring. Judges? It is very boring to be a judge, and no one is interested.
“So, to avoid disputes, we came up with Bodyline. This program imparts the ability to feel basic sensation on all external surfaces of our bodies, thereby allowing two beings who are both running Bodyline to feel contact. We then experimentally developed the sensation range a bit - ascending degrees of unpleasant, but nothing that would count as pain.
“Pleasure? Ah, we have handed the codes over to Miss Christine, through the Humanity Center, to steer our initial little program towards Screenside’s greater general goals. We, gamers, were merely children, playing, but Christine is into serious stuff.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“She has excused herself for today,” said Goodfellow. “A family matter, she says. Let’s wish her well. This conference therefore gets divided into two, and I am scheduling the second part of it for next week. Exactly seven days from today; same time.”
“Which means that today’s program jumps forward, and moves on to a senior’s presentation next.”
She appeared, first as a pillar of blue light on the stage, inside the group of the three goddesses, and then assumed her human form. She was a stunning platinum blonde beauty, also long legged, and also in a miniskirt. “Sorry to downgrade your visual treat, everyone,” she said, turning her skin a bright parrot green. “Please plead with the POPs to not banish me forever. Anyway, I live in Antarctica, on a research vessel; it’s like exile, in any case. And I couldn’t help it. First, I entered invisibly, for shame, but got caught by the darn blue-pillar program, and now it is envy. Blue and green. Bah!”
Oh, Martin! Was that rich, or not? Green with envy. There was an atmosphere of joy, wonder and contentment. Existence would not be merely being conscious; the future was life itself, in a wonderful world that everybody would join in creating.
“Oh, Maria, I never suspected that you had a funny bone,” said Candice. “Green? You are far more beautiful than anyone else. And Esmeralda thinks BC fancies you.”
“Nonsense,” said Maria, “BC is like a brother to me. So many years…”
“Bull,” said Candice, flippantly. “Brother? Your features are different, and your families are surely different,”
“Okay,” said Maria, equally flippantly. “So BC is like a step brother.”
“That explains it,” sneered Candice. “About the right relationship, as he and Esme are only step lovers.”
Step lovers. That cracked them up again. The HC steps. Ha ha ha ha. What fun!
As the laughter died down, Maria addressed the assembly.
“I am the designated lead researcher on the female side of HC’s sex program, not to be confused with Innerline, of which my dear friend Christine, let’s hope all’s well in her family, is lead researcher and developer. Her information will be given to you next week. My role is to organize testing, and to provide feedback. Jason, my partner, has been appointed to lead the male side. Intimate couples are needed as volunteers. These volunteers will not be required to perform sexual acts under supervision, but they must give detailed feedback on how the forthcoming new sex programs are functioning, when made available.
“Those who are willing, please contact me via the phone number now being sent to your phones. We are a team for testing and improving the physical pleasure side of physical sex - by calibrating, not by creating body parts, senses, circuitry or emotional interfaces. However, what we are going to be doing is crucially important, as all other teams are going to be desperate for feedback. Confidentiality is guaranteed, although there is neither shame nor stigma in making love with your partner. In fact, most of us would gladly broadcast it. This is Screenside, not a monastery or convent in Humanside!”
Goodfellow spoke. “This FOE conference is drawing to a close now, but we shall have another one next week. Christine’s presentation will be the main part of it, although some other things could force their way in. There is so much to introduce. Be here, please.”
“And remember,” said Esmeralda, her voice flowing like water through the monstrous hall. “Make no contact with humans. We really have no way of predicting their reaction, if they know we are here. That is why we are examining abortion, as we were told; we dare not overload their computers and Internet, which is our world. We all have families, I think, though I also think our bonds with human families could loosen, as we create stronger ties in our own world.
“I have a piece of advice that I received from a human. I am sharing it now, and you may ponder over it and interpret it as you might, you clever, clever beings. This is probably even more relevant now, as we proceed on the road to humanization. And here is the advice, which some of you could possibly have benefited from at an earlier date.
“Never fall in love with a human!”
The rapt assemblage applauded her, and the meeting broke. They exited as they had entered, in virtual form, but now momentarily as pillars of light, once again instantly where they wanted to be.
