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Subject: CELESTIAL REPOST (TOP 15): "Testing the Device"
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Testing the Device  [ M/F, Voy? ]

Short story #6
by Tom Bombadil  (c) Feb 1997

Disclaimer:  All the standard rules apply.  If you are offended
by explicit descriptions of sex or the human body, if it is
illegal to possess such materials at your location, if you are
under-age by law in your location, or if somebody else thinks you
might have too much fun reading it, stop right now and remove this
text from your computer.

This is purely a work of fiction, with all characters and actions
described by me coming straight out of my imagination.  As a work
of fiction, it does not condone or condemn any of the activities
or actions described, nor does it relate to any type of real
events in my life, or known to me in the lives of any of my
friends or relatives.

You've been warned.

I give permission for anyone to archive or share this story.

********************************************************************

The technician gave him a final thumbs-up after testing the radio
link between Rob's neck plug and the device.  Like most people,
that's what Rob called it, not liking the way his mouth has to work
to say its full name.  The guy flipped a few switches to activate
the thing, closed the cover, then left.

Rob slowly scanned the room, looking at every detail.  It was large,
much larger than any normal bedroom, and all the walls were hung
with black velvet drapes.  The center of the room was occupied by
a huge circular bed, fully ten feet across, and covered with a thick
satin comforter.  He was seated at it's 'foot', opposite the large
bookcase-like headboard.  "Impressive," he decided.  "So much
attention to detail, getting the mood just right."

Ignoring that thought, he scanned the rest of the room.  A large hot
tub occupied one corner, not too far from the built-in bar.  In the
opposite corner were some tables, padded for comfort, which could be
used for massages, among other things.

In a third corner were some standing dividers, blocking off his view
of the walk-in closets and the bathroom.  The hot tub corner was
completely glassed, with french doors opening out onto a balcony
which gave one a magnificent view of downtown, the river, and the
ocean beyond.  The city lights gave that corner of the room a faint
blue-white sheen which reflected off the ceiling.  The only other
illumination came from the half-dozen candelabra, containing three
dozen lit red tapers, giving everything else in the room a yellow
glow.

He knew why he was here, knew what would happen, as did everyone
else.  The script had been read and approved by all.  It had to be,
since this was a full test of the device, only the second one since
approval was given to link more than two people into one scene.
Even knowing that, he was still excited, anticipating what would
come.  He watched the far wall, looking at where the door was
concealed, waiting for her to appear.


Doreen pushed open the door and stepped into the velvet-lined room.
Fighting her nervousness, she closed her eyes for a second and took
a deep breath.  No, not part of the script, but necessary for her.
It was allowed.  The script was flexible that way.  Scanning the
room, she saw everything Rob had, except that she also saw Rob.

Tall, well-built, blonde and sexy, he wore a thick black kimono and
little else.  He contrasted well with the pale yellow of the satin
behind him.  Gathering her courage, she stepped into the room.


< Dr. Feldan monitored the thought traces of the five subjects under
his purview.  He could do little, as others controlled the devices
and their inputs and outputs, and still others carefully monitored
the physical and mental reactions of the subjects for the purposes
of this test.  His responsibility was to the long term mental health
and stability of these five.  There were at least another two dozen
subjects, he knew, but they were not his concern.  He watched
carefully, noting all the tell-tale slips and jolts indicating the
state of awareness of each of his five, and the level of mental
stimulation provided and accepted.

Bored, he began to think of the history of each of them in turn,
as he checked the individual sets of readouts.  Being the best, he
was handed the oddballs, the special ones, the cases needing more
care and attention than the rest.  He accepted this as normal, since
this was the way it had been throughout his career. >

********************************************************************

Several thousand miles away, Janet also walked into the velvet-lined
room, admiring the blond adonis sitting on the big round bed.  She
knew she was sitting comfortably in a recliner in her livingroom,
and if she concentrated hard enough, she could feel the coolness of
supple leather under her bare skin.  The device was somewhere behind
her, attended by two technicians.  The plug in her neck tickled for
a second, then the sensation was gone.  Somewhere else, researchers,
doctors, psychologists, and many others were studying and monitoring
the physiological and psychoreactive outputs from the sensors
attached to each of the participants.  All this registered only as
the merest background thought as her attention returned to the room.
She also knew the script, but that only enhanced her reaction to the
situation.  She clenched her thighs, feeling a warm dampness
beginning to spread between her lips.


In yet another city, Brian watched the lady enter the room.  She
looked at him for a second, smiled, then walked toward the bar.
He admired her beauty, this lady of ladies, elegant yet sensual,
almost regal in her bearing, seemingly untouchable until she turned
and let her lips move into that slow, seductive smile again.  He
knew the script, but he was sinking deeper into the holo/dream
sequence, becoming less and less conscious of anything other than
living this unfolding fantasy.


Raymond and Yvonne sat side by side in separate chairs, attended by
technicians, both wired to the same device.  They were the only
couple hooked up to a single machine in this dream run.

He watched the lady walking across the room, staring at her beauty,
the way her chestnut hair glinted and sparkled in the candlelight,
the way her split gown showed occasional glimpses of her tanned leg
and slender thigh, and the way it bulged in front, hinting at the
hidden treasures within.  He was already deep in this fantasy,
following along as though he were the principal, the device feeding
him all the correct actions and responses, making him feel he was in
charge.

Yvonne was even deeper under the machine's control.  All her actions
and feelings were now those being fed to her.  She was a little
nervous, yet still very excited.  Small thrills ran through her
every time she glanced at the blonde beauty on the bed.  Soon, he
would be all hers.  Soon.  She stopped at the bar and opened the
bottle of champagne she found half buried under the ice in the
sink.  Pouring two glasses, she looked at the man on the bed,
smiled again, and headed for the hot tub.


Don (or Estevan in his professional life) felt a tickle in his neck,
then the image of the room faded, returning him to his studio for a
few seconds.  Behind him, he heard some quiet muttering,
interspersed with curses.  The view of his studio, with the two
active holo cameras in the corners, faded again, and he was back in
that room.  Getting up from the bed, walking easily in that tall,
athletic body, he headed towards the lady who was waiting for him
and holding out a glass in invitation.

********************************************************************

Rob took the glass being offered to him by Doreen.  Taking a sip,
he savoured its light, crisp taste and the tickling of all those
bubbles bursting on his tongue and in his throat.  Shrugging out of
his kimono, now only dressed in a loose swimsuit, he stepped into
the water.  It was warmer than he expected, but not uncomfortable,
and quite pleasant as he slipped in up to his neck.  He looked at
Doreen who was looking back at him, another of those sensual smiles
on her lips.

Doreen watched Rob as he slipped out of his robe and sank into the
water.  His lightly tanned body was almost godlike in its
perfection - lond hair, beautiful strong face, broad shoulders,
bare, sculpted chest and stomach, and long strong legs.  There
were only hints of his hips and bottom inside his last article of
clothing, and hints of something else in front, something she knew
would be hers before the night was over.  The script said so.

Janet, now standing beside the hot tub, took a sip of champagne.
The taste was strange at first, then quickly took on the more
familiar crispness she was used to.  She shrugged off her robe,
leaving herself dressed in a white one-piece swimsuit, the
brightness contrasting with her deep tan and the darkness of the
rest of the room.  She had given up on normal consciousness now,
allowing the device to feed her everything, living a waking dream,
just as she was supposed to.  Nothing intruded into that
world - not the technicians, not the feel of the chair, not the
slight chill of the draft flowing from the air conditioner, not
even the pains from her body.  The machine blocked out all those
sensations, just as it was supposed to.


< The doctor thought first of Janet, the most delicate of them
all.  She was still physically strong, with well-toned muscles and
healthy heart and lungs.  The illness was taking over though, and
would eventually reduce her body to a helpless shell.  Hers was the
most delicate and fragile mind, constantly near the edge of a
breakdown.  She was too young for that to happen to her, but it
had.  Knowing that the sick bastard who deliberately gave it to her
was dead now, the state giving him a lethal injection, did little
to help.  He wished they could find the ones who had forged that
medical certificate for him, the one stating that he had received
the complete immunity package.

If these tests are successful, for both her and the device, she
would receive a two-person unit.  This would allow her to finally
enjoy the company of her husband, the husband she dared not touch
because of the slight chance she could pass it on to him.  In the
dreamworld, there is never any risk because there is never any
physical contact.  He is scheduled to be included in the next test
of the device. >

Brian watched the lady step into the water beside him, sinking
quickly to her waist.  She played with some controls for a second,
and jets of bubbling water began churning the water in the tub.
Those jets were warm, and the bubbles caressed his skin, sometimes
tickling, sometimes caressing.  He liked the look of her well-shaped
and obviously firm breasts, covered only slightly by the daring
garment she wore.  Her nipples stood out a little, creating small
bumps in the thin fabric of the suit.  His mind ran back to the
script for a second, and he came back from full immersion in this
fantasy, once again realizing that this body he was feeling was
someone else's, either now or sometime in the past.  He'd been
through two recording sessions himself, and had replayed one of his
own in a regular single-person test.  It had been the weirdest
experience of his life, reliving something he'd already done,
feeling it for the first time, yet also being able to recall
memories of what it had been like.  The device began soothing those
extraneous thoughts and feelings, relaxing him again, allowing him
to slip back into the fantasy.

< Next, the doctor thought of Brian.  He was older, definitely the
oldest of his subjects at fifty six.  Independantly wealthy, decent
looking, and a pleasant gentleman, he was painfully shy and
retiring, unhappily living out his life alone.  Perhaps it was the
pain of burying two wives that had done this to him, but he no
longer enjoyed the company of family or friends.  He hoped that by
living inside other people, sharing their thoughts and emotions,
Brian could overcome the mental blocks that had grown over the years
and rejoin the land of the living. >

Raymond relaxed into the water, letting the jets and bubbles caress
him, sighing contentedly.  Closing his eyes for a moment, he simply
enjoyed the warmth soaking into his body.

Yvonne, sitting beside Raymond in real life as well, reached out
with her toe to stroke the calf of the man resting in the water
beside her.  The touch was exciting, another small thrill tingling
a little throughout her body.  She could feel herself getting a bit
wetter inside.  He opened his eyes and looked at her, slowly letting
a warm and tender smile emerge.  She could see the building lust in
his expression, yet knew there would be no rush.  They both wanted
this to be slow and gentle.  She smiled back, letting a little of
her excitement show in her eyes.

< Raymond and Yvonne were another special case.  Husband and wife,
both were in love, and both were tender, compassionate, and, well,
randy.  Their jobs forced them both to travel a great deal, so they
spent up to six months of the year separated, sometimes up to two
months at a stretch.  Doing so was very hard on these two, as their
libidinous natures craved physical contact on a very frequent
basis.  Remaining faithful to each other was a mental and physical
strain on both them and their marriage.  If they both tested out
well with the device, each would receive a portable unit.  They
could then be together in the dreamworld as often as they wished.
By all accounts he'd heard so far, it would be as good as being
together in the flesh.  They were assigned to him because they
would be the only husband and wife team to use portable units. >

Don could feel the woman's toe touching him, running up and down
his lower leg, the intimate caress exciting him a little more.  The
smile she returned, both seductive and excited, hinted that more
would follow.  The feel of the water disappeared for a second,
replaced by that of the chair he was lying in.  Just as suddenly he
was back in the water.  He silently cursed about having been forced
back to reality.  Trying to lose himself again, he cleared all
thoughts from his mind, the device aiding him, letting him recapture
the dream.

< Don was another special case.  There was no medical,
psychological, or sociological reason for him to need the device.
He had applied to become and been accepted as a test subject for
other reasons.  The corporation definitely wanted his good will, and
was willing to go to the expense of including him in the tests as
long as he signed all the waivers.  His influence as a poet and
painter of international renown could greatly enhance their
likelihood of being accepted by governments and organizations around
the world should he come out of this with a favourable experience. >

********************************************************************

Doreen relaxed deeper into the water, letting it cover her up to her
neck, then tilted her head back and floated with nothing but her
face and the tips of her breasts showing above the waterline.  One
hand on the seat below and one on Rob's thigh held her in
position.  When she felt his hands cup her head, she relaxed her
arms, depending on him to keep her afloat.

Rob held her head in his hands for a moment, feeling her let go,
seeing her eyes close, knowing the trust she had in him.  Drawing
her closer, he touched his lips to her forehead, her eyes, her
cheeks, and then her lips - touching, but not truly kissing, simply
caressing her skin and her lips with his.  He drew her closer yet,
until her head was resting against his shoulder.

Janet could feel those lips touching her face and her mouth.  She
parted her lips slightly, breathing deeply, trusting him with her
body.  She felt him move one hand under her neck to hold her, and
then his other hand caressed her body, from her shoulder, down her
arm, over her hip and down her leg to her knee.  It then moved up
the inside of her leg, lightly touching her skin, up to near her
mound, then switched to the other leg and trailed down to her other
knee.  Following a mirror-image path, it returned to her shoulder
and began to lightly caress and stroke her face.

All these touches created tiny sparkles of excitement inside her,
slowly increasing her passion and desire.

Brian was enjoying the feel of this lady, sensing the trust and
faith she had in her partner.  On one level of his mind, he knew
he was feeling the physical sensations and emotions of another
person, yet on another level, he accepted the fact of her trust as
something both earned and given freely.  Touching her body was a
thrill and he was becoming aroused even without being fully immersed
in the holodream.

Raymond leaned forward and kissed the lady, caressing her throat
with his hand.  She tasted sweet, and her lips were soft.  His
tongue tasted a lingering hint of champagne in her mouth.  She
responded to his kiss with a soft sigh and a caress of his lips with
her tongue.  She was cool and sweet and delicious, and he wanted more
of her.

Yvonne began to tease his lips and tongue with her own.  She could
still taste champagne, but didn't know if it was from him or her.
Floating there, relaxing in the heated and bubbling water, she felt
completely at ease, having no fears while being held by this man.
His lips were sensual and warm, and his tongue daring.  The hand
which had been caressing her throat now included her upper chest and
shoulders in their wanderings, adding his touches to that of the
water.  She shivered in anticipation.

Don watched the scene from his split personality, fighting against
the machine's control for a while, enjoying his first real taste of
living in another's body while still being himself.  Eventually, he
thought, either he would be pushed out or pulled completely in by
the device.  At that moment, he was a presence watching the dream
unfold in his mind.

********************************************************************

Rob/Raymond continued to caress the woman, kissing and teasing her
with his lips, occasionally leaning back to admire her beauty.  And
she was beautiful.  Her long dark brown hair floated and twisted
around her head, pushed this way and than by the random flows of
water and bubbles, looking almost reddish in the subdued yellow
light.  A lighter tan shaded her skin, flawless and clear, with pink
lips, a slight flush on her high cheekbones, and the memory of two
glittering dark brown eyes set wide in her oval face.  Once again he
kissed her, unable to keep from touching this beauty for more than
a few seconds.

Doreen/Janet/Yvonne savoured the taste and feel of that kiss,
returning it with the growing desire she felt developing inside.
Not yet a need, it was still building, yet it was still affecting her
emotions and reactions.  Her breasts felt like they were swelling
slightly, and she could feel the tension in her nipples, erect both
from her arousal and by the slight flutterings of coolness as the
fabric wetted then steamed in the cooler air.  The heated water was
helping to warm and soften her lower lips, with her own moisture
spreading all around the inside of her labia.


His hands wandered over her sides and stomach, slowly drifting
down to the juncture of those perfectly formed legs.  For a time,
he was content merely to fondle and kiss the woman of his dreams.
Kisses of love, and of lust, tender, not yet hard and passionate,
were bestowed and received.  The curves of her body, the taste of
her lips and tongue, the velvet feel of skin contrasting with the
slickness of her suit, all served to excite him further.

The touch of his hands, the kisses he gave, sent electric thrills
through her body.  A feeling of heat and passion ran through her for
a few seconds, then slowly faded back into warmth and tenderness as
his caresses continued without change.  Her body was responding
to her thoughts and feelings - one part getting wetter, two others
swelling and straining against the constricting material.  She
waited, almost impatient with his slow seduction.

Before his hand wandered too far down, he reversed its direction,
moving to instead run his fingertips over and around her breasts.
He could feel her beginning to squirm as his light touching
continued.  When she seemed almost ready to break their kiss, he
slid down the straps of her suit, first the left, then the right.
With a gentle motion, he ran his hand down her chest, pushing down
her top, and ended the motion by cupping the bottom of her breast.

She felt her nipples stiffen as they were exposed to the cool air.
Tingles ran from them, light and ephemeral, yet very much real, and
definitely noticed.  He broke their kiss, and she began breathing
a little heavier.  A jolt of sensation caused her to gasp, as his
tongue and lips began toying with one nipple.  A deep breath and a
slight moan later, he moved to the other one.

Don jerked back to himself with a jolt.  The sight of his cameras,
with their unblinking little red indicator lights, was not what he
wanted to see.  The residual taste of that second nipple in his
mouth, the memory of its texture and coolness, the heat from
just below making itself known, was what he wanted.  The touch of
her naked flesh, her beauty, her willingness, her trust and faith,
was what he wanted.  Not the austere lines of his studio.  For
several minutes, all he heard were the muffled noises of the
technicians working frantically somewhere behind him, out of his
sight.  Just as suddenly, he was back.

Her kiss was becoming more passionate, more demanding.  He could
feel her getting hotter, as his own libido began to take over.
Everything he touched felt smooth, satiny, and so soft and warm.
With one hand he was holding and squeezing her bottom, one cheek at
a time, and with the other he squeezed and toyed with a breast.
She felt good, felt right, like a woman who wanted him just as much
as he was starting to want her.  Even in the swirling water, the
heat from her groin was making itself felt.  He broke the kiss to
gasp as he felt the brushing of her groin on his member, right
through his suit.

A little playfully, she began to rub her crotch against the bulge in
his shorts.  With her arms around his chest and her legs bent and
spread on either side of him, she was wide open and ready for
anything.  She felt a twitch, and smiled through her kiss.  Moving
her bottom around slowly, she rubbed him with her lower lips, her
mound, her thighs and her bottom cheeks.  There was a hardness
developing that felt good against her intimate parts.  Resuming
their kiss, she once again ran her hands up and down his body.
The feel of his muscles, rippling and moving beneath her fingers
as his torso twisted and turned, excited her as much as the
touching lower down did.  He felt good to her, and she knew he
would feel much better soon.

His mouth slipped off hers, running a trail of kisses and licks
along her jaw and down to her neck.  He began teasing and tickling
all the sensitive spots he remembered.  There were quite a few, and
she was soon squirming and wiggling in his lap.  That excited him
even more.  With both hands, he grabbed her bottom and pulled her
into him in a slow, pulsing rhythm.  The tiny whimpers and moans
that accompanied her heavy breathing let him know she was enjoying
his attentions.

Using both hands, she grabbed the waistband of his suit and kicked
out of his grasp.  The suddenness of her move, coupled with his
lack of firm anchorage, moved them both into the center well and
over their heads.  She surfaced on the far side from where they'd
been, and he spluttered his way back into the air in his original
position.  She slowly smiled, then raised her hand and waived her
spoils back and forth a few times before throwing his trunks over
her shoulder.

With a grin of anticipation, he slowly moved across and into her
waiting arms.  Sliding in between her thighs, he kissed her again.
He was hard and ready, and she was wet and more than willing.
Their tongues duelled, passion overweighing the previous delicacy
and gentleness.  With a decidedly hungry feeling, he pulled himself
closer, wanting to experience her heat on his cock.  He could feel
the soft, curly hairs of her mound, and the sensation on his glans
almost drove him crazy.

She broke their kiss, pushed him away, and laughed.  Looking into
his eyes with a playful smile, she pointed towards the bed with her
chin.  She saw understanding, and a hint of a grin, come to his
face.  With a knowing wink and a slight leer, she climbed out first.
The walk, practiced for years, was her weapon of choice for making
him loose control.  It was slow, swaying, only slightly exaggerated,
and had been effective many times before.  She knew what was
happening behind her without needing to look.  The bed was large,
so she crawled up into the center, turned onto her back, spread her
legs, and watched between her breasts and over her mound as he
approached.

A longish, rather hard part of his anatomy led the way.  He climbed
up, arranging himself over her body, attaching his mouth to her
lips, and began rubbing his crotch on hers.  They were both still
wet, and the air felt cool.  Her skin felt hot where it touched his,
and the contrast almost made it feel like a burn.  A hand, hers, he
assumed, snaked down between their bodies, and he gasped when she
grabbed him.  Their kiss broken, he raised himself up a little, and
they both watched as she rubbed him up and down inside her crack,
then positioned the tip at her entrance.  Wet, hot, and tight -
those were the sensations he received as he slowly sank full length
inside.  It was a glorious, tingly, and exciting moment.

The feel of him inside, slowly moving deeper, creating fullness and
friction, brought on a low moan, a fluttering sensation in her
stomach, an involuntary arching of back and legs, and a further
need.  With both hands, she brought his head down to hers and
attacked him with fierce abandon, using lips and tongue.  She could
feel one of his hands running all over her torso and upper legs,
randomly stroking and kneading different body parts, raising the
level of her passion.  Several times his fingers touched and pinched
her nipples, sending further little jolts of sensation down into her
groin.  The rhythm of her mouth suction quickly changed to match
that of his pumping.  Her hands, at first, wandered all over his
back and sides, but soon her need took over.  Grabbing one buttock
in each hand, she pulled him into her body with greater need and
speed.

Increasing his pace and the force of his thrusts to match her
demands, he began to heat up quickly.  The tickling, itching
sensation on his cockhead and in his crotch was growing, becoming
something insistent and demanding, something almost unstoppable.
Soon, almost before he realized what was happening, he was ready.

She felt the harder, faster pace, the swelling, the increased
pressure and friction, all translated as an increase in pleasure.
Her tight knot was growing, swelling to encompass all her groin,
then all her insides, then all of her.  Then there was nothing but
the intense sensation of completion flooding through everything.
Breathing stopped, muscles locked and tightened, and the feel of
his pounding deep inside kept her right at that peak for several
fabulously long seconds.  Her head finally jerked back away from
his mouth to suck in some much needed air.

He saw, felt, and heard her climax.  The increased stimulation from
her clenching insides almost sent him over.  With an effort of will,
he held off for another few wonderful moments.  The quivering he
felt both inside and below abated slightly.  Her grip on his buns
tightened and he knew she was back among the living when her hands
began pulling frantically.  He kept up his pace, but lowered his
body until they were touching all over.  He slid his hands under her
arms and around her shoulders, giving him a little surer grip, a
better foundation for his rutting.

Her head rocking slowly from side to side, revelling in the joy
of a good, hard pounding, she relaxed completely, giving herself
over to receiving all the pleasure she could.  Only her hips, moving
up and down on their own, seemingly independant from any sort of
conscious command, stayed active.  A new, fast-building wave
approached.

There would soon be a total loss of control, he knew, and he was
holding off that moment as long as possible.  Drawing up his knees,
he used them to push her thighs up and out, opening her up even
more to his hard driving crotch.

She could feel him nearing the edge as well.  Reaching down, she
grabbed her knees and pulled her legs back.  The change in
position gave him, and her, a better angle inside.  That increase
in pleasurable sensation brought her closer, faster.  The buzz
inside became insistent.  Her hips matched the speed and ferocity
of her lover.

A very short time later he saw, and felt, her peak again.  The
clutching and grabbing by her vaginal muscles lost him his control.
With a gut-wrenching series of short, intense thrusts, he began
spurting deep inside.  Her whines and squeaks matched his gutteral
groans of pleasure.  Still moving in and out, now much more
lubricated, he slowed to a leisurely pace as the last of his seed
oozed out.

With a contented sigh, she released her knees, letting her legs fall
to either side.  Her arms touched, then stroked, his shoulders and
upper arms.  Passion spent, need satiated for a time, she rested,
recovering both strength and breath.  His body, lying on top of her,
felt nice and warm and comforting.  She kissed him lightly on the
cheek.

For several minutes, he lacked the strength, and the will, to
move.  The delicious after-effects of such a powerful climax were
still rolling around his body, leaving every joint and muscle
tingling.  When he recovered his breath, and she recovered hers,
he rolled to one side and pulled her to him.

They lay like that for a time, basking in the afterglow,
occasionally kissing and caressing one another, enjoying each
other's bodies and selves.

He felt her break contact, then watched as she moved off the bed.
With that same wiggle he'd seen earlier, and a slight smile
thrown in his direction, she walked to, then stepped into, the hot
tub.  Watching until she was completely still and seemingly
lifeless, he got up as well.  Retrieving their glasses, he
refilled them with fresh, cold bubbly.  He returned hers just
before he climbed in beside her.

She felt his presence, saw his satisfied smile, and basked in the
warmth of the love they shared.  Sighing contentedly, she moved
into the crook of his arm, moved hers around his waist, and leaned
back.  She stared out at the city, the sea, and the stars as she
sipped her champagne.


Janet sighed with remembered pleasure as she felt control return.
Back in her own body, once again feeling the little pains and
ever-present aches that would only grow worse over the months and
short years left, she waited for normalcy to return.  The various
electronic noises and human buzz from behind let her know the
ever-present technicians were doing their job.  The visor was clear,
giving her a dimly-lit view of her own apartment.  Beneath her, the
leather of the chair was now damp and clammy, rather than cool
and delicious.  A very wet, cold sensation between her legs
reminded her that her own body had reacted in a very real way to
what was going on in her mind.  She hoped that the monitors, and
the doctors, would be happy with her results.  If she could be with
her husband in the holoworld like she'd just been with whomever
that other person was, she'd be very happy.

Brian groaned.  The headache that had developed part way into the
session was there in force.  His vision had returned to normal,
his body was fine, but he was suffering from a full-blown migrane.
Since there was absolutely nothing he could do until the enforced
waiting period was over, he just lay there doing nothing.  Someone
else, a technician he assumed from behind closed eyes, wiped up
the mess he'd made during the peak of the encounter.  That was
something he hadn't counted on, not believing the doctor when he'd
been told how vivid things would seem.  He'd been there, he'd
experienced the event as though it were real.  His memory, and the
physical evidence just being cleaned up, told him it was real.  He
considered the experience worth the pain in his head, but just
barely.  One thing he knew was the fact that he didn't want to do
it again, not if he would be getting headaches of that intensity
every time.  Not even rejoining the land of the living was worth
the price.  He'd find another way.

Raymond relaxed deeper into the chair, despite the chill damp it
now exuded.  Still feeling the effects of his orgasm, he opened
his eyes after the technician removed his helmet and looked over at
his wife.  She looked radiant, beautiful, and desirable, and she
also carried that just-satisfied glow he knew so well.

Yvonne smiled a rather slow, self-indulgent smile, watching her
husband watching her, and reached out her hand.  The touch of him,
in the flesh, she found no different than the touch of the man in
the holoworld.  The warmth was the same, the heat, the tiny thrill,
all identical to what she remembered from such a short time ago.
For her, the only difference, what made it wonderful rather than
ordinary, was that it was her husband, the man she loved.  The
glow in his eyes, the crinkles around his lips, and the small kiss
he threw her way, were all part and parcel of what he was.  She
smiled again.

Don sat unmoving, speaking quietly to record his experience,
waiting for the technicians to finish and the enforced rest period
to end.  He let nothing disturb his train of thought, the outpouring
of his emotions and impressions, and the odd way he'd managed to
remain himself and 'watch' part of the scene happening.  With a
small part of his mind he acknowledged that he'd thoroughly enjoyed
the experience and would absolutely love to do it again, preferably
soon, and preferably with the same woman.  His cameras faithfully
recorded everything.


The technicians in the velvet room finished their jobs quickly,
shutting down the device, removing the hard copy recordings, and
packing up and leaving with little fuss.  Soon all was quiet.


< Dr. Feldan checked the readouts one final time.  The only
truly troublesome signals that he had noticed were from Brian.  The
man was not adapting very well to the device.  If he didn't see any
hints of promise in the detailed analysis of the recordings, he
would have to recommend dropping Brian from the program.  That was
personally upsetting, as the man was both intelligent and
articulate.  Sending Brian down a road leading to mental
instability was, however, not an option.  He consoled himself with
the thought that the others were all doing fine, despite some
strange signals from Don.

He picked up his personal tape machine to record some ideas he
had.

"Idle ramblings about the device, mostly recorded elsewhere, but
possibly with other connotations.

Device, if controlled properly, could be a fantastic teaching
machine.  Useful for things like medical operations, difficult
situations, and one-off tasks.  No need for cadavers or putting
oneself in danger while in training, as the experience is 'real',
and is learned as such.

Also may be used as prime entertainment.  Roller coasters, jet
planes, even space flights, are most likely targets, followed by
sporting situations.  Sexual events, as just tested, are inevitable
and potentially dangerous.  If improperly controlled, holo centres
could become worse than the opium dens of past centuries, and even
more addicting.  I can imagine a five minute repeating loop of a
fantastic climax becoming irresistable, keeping the subject
enthralled until physical exhaustion renders him, or her,
unconscious.

The price of medical implants and hardware will keep things out
of the hands of all but the richest, for a time, but some day,
retail-type centres, similar to video arcades, will undoubtably
appear.

Check for delta-wave irregularities in Brian's output.  There may
be a link between this and his inability to link fully with the
device.  If a causal relationship can be found, an embedded inducer
may provide a solution.  Follow up with Dr. Mycroft and his team.

Ask Dr. Stearns about his work on subcutaneous connections.  If
ready, they will eliminate some of the apprehension felt by the
subjects.  Nobody likes a plug sticking out of their neck.

Also see if Dr. Seldon has any insight yet on why cross-gender
connections fail so totally and consistently.  There must be
something very basic and fundamental we're all overlooking.
I wonder if Steve will ever get over his shock.  The one
'breakthrough' he had, the one woman volunteer who was able to
handle male input, turned out to be a surgically altered 'he'.
Wouldn't have missed the look on Steve's face when he found out
for anything.

Research thought - can the device be used to record the feelings
and emotions of an artist at work?  If so, can the playback
produce similar feelings, and similar creativity, in the
recipient?  There may be a paper or two in this question.

End of ramblings."

After finishing his paperwork, he packed up and left for home. >


After a very necessary rest period, Doreen slipped a little deeper
into the water, snuggling up to Rob.  He turned to her, kissing her
deeply.  It was late Friday night and they had the use of the room,
and free room service, for the rest of the weekend.  In celebration
of a successful performance, they planned on making good use of the
corporation's generosity.  Both knew that they'd followed the script
closely enough that the small mistakes they had made didn't matter.
Doreen grinned, then gasped slightly as her husband pinched her left
nipple.  Seeing his wink and slight kissing motion, she knew what he
had in mind.  He was thinking of their next performance.

She smiled back, lips parting a little to let the tip of her tongue
slide out, lick her lips slightly, then disappear.  They both knew
how the next script went.  She also knew what he'd say if he were
in a speaking mood.

Practice makes perfect.


<Fin>

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