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Chapter 1 The Recliners
In the 71st century Mankind discovered the Dimension of God. Volunteers sought for an expedition. The Final Journey was on its way. Even with the powerful AI’s, the science of the newly discovered Dimension was not understood. Few expected to return. In the 71st century artificial intelligence (AI) was mother and father and cook and servant and entertainer – even lover.
The matter much more complicated! In extremely rare cases an advanced AI, whose usual form might only be a virtual image, might acquire a taste for true-life and, if there was a body willing, could transfer its consciousness into that body. That, however, was freaky to people and AI's. A rare situation indeed. However, the few couples who came about, one of which was previously an AI, developed lasting relationships. In principle this could work. In practice few AI's were that advanced, and few people wanted to leave their physical bodies to such science so that an AI that could step into it, so to speak. A law had been put in place centuries ago that allowed an advanced AI, if it could and understood how, to transfer its consciousness into a person about to die.
Jason’s eyes opened in response to light. The light switched on in response to a visitor. The room, sensing Jason might enjoy company, gave permission for the visitor to enter by sliding the door open. Jason’ recliner swiveled 90 degrees, so Jason could see the door. For a moment Jason wasn’t sure if this was Life or true-life. The former name, ‘Life’ with a capital or all capitals as in “LIFE” referred to a virtual reality life.
Chapter 16 LIFE: The Woman in Red
Lisa had taken an interest in a LIFE with Jason. As to why? She wasn’t sure. He was an Earthling. She wasn’t. She knew statistically chances of a successful courtship was very low. But The Final Journey was now like a desert island and he close to her in age. Angelica didn’t have as large a problem as Earth with women outnumbering men 100 to 1. Lisa was confident about how she looked and her personality. She wasn’t ready to find a boyfriend, but why not experiment?
How might she go about this if Jason was an Angelican and she was interested? Angelica and Earth were identical twins. Lisa had her own thoughts about a LIFE. Chances were close to 100% what she experienced and liked on Angelica, Jason would have experienced on Earth.
Why not introduce Jason to LIFE as if he was an Angelican? Lisa’s recliner worked out her wishes and developed a detective mystery. The recliner wasn’t used to Angelicans. It took more time than it would with an Earthling when trying to be certain how Lisa wanted to go about this. In that mystery Lisa would be “The Woman in Red” while Jason an eccentric detective Dick Jones.
A young woman wanting to imagine herself as a much older woman wasn’t an issue for the recliner and not that unusual. In the virtual reality only minor adjustments required to Lisa’s natural looks to suggest an older Lisa. The imagery not true life, almost cartoon-like, but Jason found it appealing. A story told by the detective. It went like this:
And the virtual reality began:
She was a broad with class. The blackmail letters smelt of expensive perfume and cheap cigarettes. I thought the expensive perfume belonged to her and the cheap cigarettes to the blackmailer. I was wrong. It was the other way around.
I was sitting at my desk, head slumped and sleeping to be exact, when the phone rang. The landlord demanded rent money pronto. I told him tomorrow and banged the phone down. That’s what I always say.
I glanced at my 1940’s style clock on the wall. The one above my large 1940’s radio I was lucky to find in an antique shop. I was expecting a client. I stretched and walked to the window. This was my city. A city of life. A city of undercurrents. Little did I know I would soon be caught in a dark drowning undercurrent. How could I have known this would be the case every detective dreads. The one that got away. The one that keeps you awake at night. The one that gnaws at you.
Back Cover
In the 71st century Mankind discovered the Dimension of God. The Final Journey is on its way. Regularly the passengers are awakened for recreation, or to look at a marvel in space being passed, or to enjoy the ‘Dance of Love’ or ‘LIFE’. A malfunctioning AI in the image of a Dark Lord, the spaceship full of AI's, is wandering around the spaceship confusing even Lucy. A sabotage attempt. Service robots have difficulty finding the culprit.
In the 71st century there is ‘life’ and there is ‘LIFE’. The latter such a strong virtual reality a person simply doesn’t even know it is not real life. Very popular. Even Lucy and a male AI, Henry, try this. Along the way passengers are picked up from a planet that is a sister planet to Earth. The young women lovely, but said impossible for Earth males to impress, and yet Jason manages to impress a number. That results in young Jason beginning to experience ‘LIFE’ with a number of exotic women. Which LIFE will he choose? With the beautiful Angelican Lisa? Practical Jasmine? Exotic Li? Perhaps the mysterious Ilia?
An unexpected ending.
“Hello. My name is Jasmine. I have a room next to yours. I wanted to introduce myself.” The young woman came to the reclining chair Jason was resting on. A soft and long reclining chair which, among other things, could sense stress in muscles and decide which position was best to soothe and relax. A gentle bump against Jasmine’s leg informed her another recliner had moved into position. She was welcome to sit down. Jasmine gave the recliner a smile. The recliner moved away from her leg. Jasmine sat down. After a moment of uncertainty, the recliner decided on a sitting position and adjusted itself accordingly.
“My name is Jason. I am twenty-one. Is Jasmine an Indian name?”Jason’s recliner adjusted to a sitting position and turned to face Jasmine’s recliner. Which in response turned to better face Jason’s recliner.
“My black hair, darker skin and dark eyes, yes?” She pointed to these. “’I am 500 years old.”
Jasmine’s recliner moved closer to Jason, so he could have a closer look. Jason’s recliner tilted its back forward so his head moved forward and closer to Jasmine’s. Jasmine’s recliner responded. The two faces came close. Any closer and their noses would touch. The AI in the recliners was a precision instrument. Both AI's had coordinated this so precisely little chance of the noses actually touching. The recliners may have had an ulterior personal agenda. Direct physical mating in the 71st century had become uncommon. Children were born, but most young women preferred fertility clinics. In a way the recliners were like a brotherhood or a committee – they could link together to “chat” (this type of linking originated as far back as the 21st century with the advent of what was known as the Internet and World Wide Web) and centuries ago adopted