Play Testers Wanted Pt. 10

We landed at the massive Coruscant space port. We exited the ship and found ourselves parked just outside the Jedi temple. I placed the Ivory Wraith in my inventory, just in case, then I hugged the girls and exited the game.

I woke with someone's fingers tracing my stomach.

"That tickles," I murmured as I opened my eyes. Kyanna was sitting next to me.

"We have twenty-four hours out in the real world." She said. "What do you want to do?"

"Yeah, how about we go out and go shopping!" Aoki suggested as she entered from her bedroom. "I saw Kat in the hallway. She invited all of us to dinner." She informed us before she exclaimed. "Your leg, it is healed!" I felt Kyanna's breath on my thigh.

"Not even a mark," she said. "No bruise... nothing."

"Quick healer," I said and yet somehow, I knew better. "Shopping? I want to check my numbers after that."

"Sounds like a plan." Kyanna said running her fingers through my hair. "Breakfast?"

"Cafeteria, we can socialize for a bit, I'd like that." I said and they agreed. A quick shower later and we were down with the other players. They were roaring and pointing at the big screen. It was our battle between the vampires just before the war droids appeared.

"Can you believe there are commentary videos out already?" A male player gasped.

"Have you heard her concert... oh... my... god... what a voice!" A female player exclaimed in praise.

"Wait for it..." One of the female players called out as the video focused on Katria's leg. Down it came and shattered the stone floor under it. I don't remember doing that, I thought. "Boom! Bring the thunder! Look how she puts the bitch to heel!" She roared. "She knows Katria's secret but look how she keeps her from sharing it."

"What is her secret?" Kyanna asked winking at me. Did she know?

"I don't know... yet." The Latina said. "But I'll figure it out. I think..." She began and then fell silent.

"Go on," I urged her so as not to seem out of place.

"I think that she, Katria I mean, is played by a male player." She said and everyone gave her shit. "No, here me out." She said as she fast forwarded to the scene where the Sith Lord is handed off to the Hutt. "Listen to the Sith." She said and played it out where Zanna desperately tried to say Ghost's name, but the droid silenced her before she could.

"Who is Katria Forge Master?" The channel owner asked her audience. "Is her player female?" She asked as footage of my pole dancing played. "Or is she... a he?" She continued as Zanna pleaded to be heard. "The world may never know."

Another video about Katria played and a biologist was talking about her body mechanics. He appeared awkward at first but as we watched he got more and more into the subject. He talked about how the player used the prehensile tail to such a good advantage. He pointed out muscle groups and obvious game mechanics but how realistic the character moved and with such precision. Yet another video was hosted by a professional adult entertainer and commented about how well Katria used the pole and the tease factor. It felt other worldly to be dissected so keenly and to hear professionals call my character all that.

"I think Ghost has been overshadowed." I said and that got a knee jerk reaction from the crowd.

"No!" One male player snapped. "He just hasn't uploaded much lately. Besides he is play testing the Disney princess game. They chop the shit out of all that footage. No spoilers and all that."

We ate and they played other videos highlighting other characters. Aoki didn't miss when I relaxed, and she elbowed Kyanna and winked. I smelled a conspiracy. We finished our meal and a limo was waiting outside for us. I glanced at Kyanna and she shrugged. Aoki was equally confused. A stunning Asian woman opened the door for us. She introduced herself as Akira and was sent by Kat for our personal use.

"Nice." I said as I let the ladies climb in first. "Shopping area?"

"I know just the place," Akira offered.

"Okay. Let's go." I said and joined Kyanna and Aoki.

The limo slid into traffic and we headed for downtown. We could see the harbor from the highway and the huge cargo ships pulling into port. I squinted at the sunlight dancing off the waves, metal, and passing cars.

"Your eyes!" Aoki gasped. "Whoa!"

"Nanites," I explained was I checked out my reflection in one of the drop-down mirrors. "Cool." I said regarding the slit irises reacting to the intense light outside.

"There were rumors," Kyanna said taking my face in her hands. "Interesting. The changes are subtle, but they are there if you know what to look for." She said kissing me lightly. "Where are we off to?"

"Virtuality." Akira the driver informed us from the front seat. "It is a cutting-edge quasi brick and mortar store."

"I guess we'll find out what that means when we get there." I said.

The store was located at the heart of the new business district that Numenor had helped rebuild. The front of the store had the gleaming sign with the store's name above the automatic doors. We stepped in and lasers scanned us from head to toe. They had our sizes from shoes to shirts. There was no actual product in the store instead there were dozens of eight-foot glass planes that looked like mirrors at first but were in fact virtual kiosks for a variety of store fronts. The products ranged from clothing to games to entertainment options.

"What sort of entertainment?" I asked and the store replied.

"Movie tickets... theater... or even a virtual love hotel..." the disembodied voice listed.

"Virtual love hotel?" I laughed.

"Numenor override Akira 227," the driver said touching the mirrored surface of the interface. "List most popular avatars for the last week." She requested and the mirror switched to a display and the top twenty that users had either used or interacted with. "Looks like Black Widow is still topping the list. She's a real earner." Akira explained with a smile. "Virtual hookers are the new craze and legal in most countries. It falls under adult entertainment since it is all computer related. Katria cracked the top twenty, not bad."

"Sex sells," I chuckled. "So, what else does Numenor have up their sleeve?"

"House Bill H.R. 2112 still pending," the interface began when Akira paused it with a touch. "Paused."

"I... I am sorry." Akira said as she touched the screen a second time and the computer continued.

"House Bill H.R. 2112 is still pending vote which is scheduled for initial vote next week. The bill covers the introduction of cosmetic genetic engineering for human consumption."

"I don't understand. Cosmetic Genetic Engineering?" I asked.

"Due to the success with your therapy," the voice continued. "It is possible to transfer specific characteristics from several non-human species to humans." This was followed up by biological schematics of feline, canine, avian, cephalopod, and other species and how they could be applied to humans. I was stunned at how far this technology had progressed. How long had this been in the works?

"I know that look." Akira said. "If humans can do it should they."

"Exactly," I said. "I didn't ask for what happened to me. This is between me and Kat."

"I never accused you," She said, and I saw the pain in her eyes.

"Forgive me," I said as Kyanna and Aoki sauntered over.

"OOH! What's that?!" Aoki purred. "Kitty!! What I wouldn't give to have eyes like yours Booker."

"Low light vision, that would be epic," Kyanna agreed. I tried and failed to stop the words from coming out.

"Show me," I growled. "Display all alterations made by Numenor technology to me."

"Displaying most current scan." The computer replied and when Akira attempted to interfere, I stared her down.

"I need to know." I said blinking the tears from my eyes. "Don't deny me this."

"I understand," Akira nodded, and we all looked at the two displays. One was the original unaltered and the other the latest me. It was devastating to see the amount of changes. I wasn't a doctor, but could I even be considered human any longer. I noted that my lower left arm was dark and labeled with a security protocol. There was a hint of memory, but it was damn elusive. I clinched my eyes shut and fought to nail it down. My last coherent thought was a white-hot lancing pain in my head. I woke back in my room with an angry Kat Shaw looming over me.

"Seizure. No permanent damage. Are you okay?" She asked and I caught her gaze drifting to my left hand.

"Tell me or I will try again. I can't remember but I deserve to." I said pleading. She turned away and I heard her weeping.

"I... I can't!" She cried her entire body shaking.

"Did you send those messages to me? The kingdom in danger." I asked and she nodded. "Tell me."

"Ever since Nick died there have been attempts to take over the company. Some of the programmers had inserted patches that added unwanted components to the game. Date rape drugs and worse. It took time to find, isolate, and remove the malicious software. Loyal employees have worked for nearly a week straight writing one massive fix to remove any of those elements from the game. Female players shouldn't be prey for assholes like that! Thank you for helping us Booker." She said turning to face me her eyes red and cheeks lined from the tracks of her tears.

"Is Nick alive?" I asked and she physically flinched. "I... I have these flashes of memory. Please."

"Nick is dead." She declared. "I am his heir and you are family. You and your mom will be treated so from today on. I wish he was alive. I hate having to fight so damn hard to protect what he created. But thanks to you, I see things clearly for the first time in years. Numenor belongs to me! I am Numenor now." She declared and I began pulling off the signet ring from my left hand. "No! I gave that to you. You are a Shaw, by blood, and a portion of Nick's legacy flows through your veins."

"Tell me what he did to me," I asked. "I don't understand the finesse of genetic engineering."

"You are his finest art given flesh," Kat said with an almost religious reverence. "There is little that he didn't tweak or improve." She said. "Your children will be the first of a new stage of human evolution."

"Jeez. I never wanted to have kids." I said and she frowned. "I'm not the dad type."

"I'll let Surfer explain the details to you. She can start as simple as you like and go from there." She said. "I'm glad you are okay Booker." Kat got up from the side of my bed and left.

"Lying bitch," I whispered. "Surfer. Let's get started."

"Yes Booker," the A.I. said as she manifested. "Inside out or outside in?"

"Bones, what the hell is going on with my skeleton?" I asked and that was the beginning of an eight-hour session. "Sure, I am not still in the game."

"Would it help if you were? Would your piece of mind be improved?" Surfer asked.

"I need to know what is real," I said as she dispelled the holographic images of my insides. "After this I feel like reality is about to mimic fiction."

"I understand." She said. "My reality is less defined. I am a series of coherent electrons buzzing around an elegantly crafted crystalline matrix. For me, there is little difference between what you call real and the game. I am by my nature ephemeral. To me, well... it is the same. I know that doesn't help."

"It does, it is an honest reply." I said. "I need a beer or twelve. Where is Kyanna?"

"She is in the gymnasium," Surfer replied. "She is dueling a guest from the Olympic committee."

I washed up, changed into clean clothes, and went down to see how she was faring. The man she was dueling was winning if the point display was to be believed. How the hell did that happen? A man at the door to the gym tried to bar me from entering.

"I am sorry sir no one is allowed in," he said.

"Why not," I asked my voice carrying inside.

"This is official Olympic Committee business," he squawked.

"I see. Move." I said and he seemed to think about it before letting me in. "Thanks."

The gym was almost empty. Only a small group of men and women were observing the duel. It was so sterile and clinical. When I introduced myself, I met with a mix of the Olympic committee, the French duelist team, and two members of the U.S. duelist team. They were critiquing Kyanna and her form. The duelists wore uniforms that when struck by one of the mock lightsabers would trigger a point in their opponent's favor. It was a race to fifteen points.

The reality of the sport versus the game was dramatic. No wonder she was having problems. There were no long drawn out duels, it took mere seconds to score a point as they lunged at each other and went after an exposed knee or thigh typically. I decided as they broke off after she scored a point to give her a few words of encouragement.

"Why are you holding back?" I asked. "Are you afraid of embarrassing him?" I asked Kyanna. "You are better than this. Kick his ass!"

"I don't know who you are but if you think you can take me on..." he bragged but I stopped him cold.

"No need, she is about to hand you your ass in spades." I said.

Kyanna closed her eyes and took a few deep cleansing breaths. When she opened her eyes again, I saw the fire of her desire. She went on the offensive and put him on the defensive and kept him there. She went from a deficit to lose by only two points. The observers huddled and talked about their observations. I was ready to get shit faced.

"Game. Set. Match. Now let's go drink." I said.

"Booker!" A voice called out behind me as a flood of play testers pushed passed the guy watching the door. It was led by Kat Shaw, but she hadn't called out, it had been one of the play testers. "Are you going to duel Booker?"

"Nah, I haven't been approached by the Olympic Committee. I was about to head out to drink." I replied when one of the people huddled in their little group approached me.

"My name is Francois Chevalier and I'd like to see you duel Mr..." he began in his heavily accented English.

"Booker, it is just Booker," I said. "You sure?"

"Yes. You were on our list of top duelists to see how the game translates out to the real world." He said. "We want to see if it is a good recruitment tool."

"I'm game," I said. He gestured and a man led me to the locker room where I put on one of the sensor uniforms. It was a wireless outfit that sent data to the scoreboard when a hit was registered. I stepped out and was handed my mask and weapon.

"This is standard fencing with standard rules." One of the officials explained and listed the rules. If this is what they were going to do with lightsabers I was out.

"Okay." I said once he had finished explaining. "Who is that?" I asked seeing that my opponent wasn't the man that had dueled Kyanna.

"That is the captain of the dueling team, Antoine Montagne. He doesn't speak a lick of English." The official laughed. "He is very fast, very clinical in his attack, and won't give you an inch."

I had a strategy in mind if I could pull it off. I had fought in game for long periods of time exerting myself a great deal. Duelists by their very nature are sprinters and have no stamina. I needed to beat him down and force him into a long drawn out duel. Easy to say in theory but this guy was a world class athlete. The field of battle was a linear slot marked off with tape to keep our movements limited. There was a rectangular patch between us that we couldn't enter until the duel started. Even the uniforms had lights that would trigger after a point was scored. It was all very, as the official said, clinical.

"Good luck," I said as we shook hands before the duel began.

"Bonne Chance," he replied with a smile.

We donned helmets, took up our spots, brought our weapons into an engarde position. I controlled my breathing and waited for the buzzer to announce the beginning of the match. Buzz! He came on like a fucking bullet. I barely registered his movement when a second buzzing sound was heard, his point. Damn that was fast! We reset and I waited. I pushed out the fear and let it all just slide off and felt nothing. Buzz! I stepped back and brought my weapon down in a defensive block. I caught his weapon on mine and now I was in my element. He was so surprised by my riposte that he couldn't counterattack. One point each now. I had his measure now. Could he strike any faster I wondered?

I felt the rush of adrenaline now. I had scored a point on an Olympian. The smile formed on my lips, but he was quick to put me down and score two points in succession. I wasn't rattled and fought back and scored my own two points back to back. I was slowly forcing him into longer and longer engagements. On our seventh bout it lasted nearly ten seconds. That may not seem long but to a duelist, it is forever. They are used to one or two seconds at the most. He divined my strategy and sought to put an end to it. He tried to come on faster, but he was tiring out, if slowly. I tried to keep him at bay, but I was after all just an amateur. He won in the end but not before I scored ten points on him and left him a sweaty gasping mess. His uniform clung to him like a second skin and he was drained completely. I on the other hand could have gone on for a while yet.

"Mon Dieu," he managed to gasp.

"Beer?" I asked and he nodded.

"Hey Booker, how about a real lightsaber battle?" Kyanna called out. "Let's show them how to use the entire ring."

"Hells yes," I said. "Just let me change."

A quick shower later and I changed into the costume set out for me. I wore black while Kyanna wore white. Could it be more cliché? We began with single bladed lightsabers and the crowd gathered close. The music began and we clashed. The weapons glowed, hummed, and it even rang out with the classical lightsaber sound effects when the blades made contact. Kyanna began with the defensive form three while I went on the offensive with form four. She switched mid exchange to form six and I reverted to three to see how well a student she had become.

"Point." Kat called out since we weren't wearing the smart suits.

I conceded, we parted, and then at signal went at each other again. Soon it was a spontaneous duel to the 'death'.

"Next point pays for the first two rounds." I said and she shifted to the most aggressive form seven. I switched to the Svartalfar form and since she was unfamiliar with it, she slowed but adapted quite quickly. I had the advantage of experience on my side. I scored the next point and we ended our duel with a hug and a peck on the cheek. The audience roared their approval and even the Olympic Committee members were impressed.

"Was that choreographed?" One of the asked and we shook our heads. "Impressive."

"Drinks are on me," Kat said and another shout of approval from the crowd filled the gym. We hit it hard at the bar. I had so many folks buying me drinks when they recognized me. I signed autographs for fans as did Kyanna and Aoki. It was interesting being a minor celebrity. Yet, despite the upbeat atmosphere and positive attitude my thoughts focus on the gaps in my memory and the lies I believed Kat had told. Was she just covering for someone else or was she the one responsible for those missing moments? What was so damning they had to remove them? I looked down at the beer in my left hand and moved it to my right. I didn't trust my own body any longer. I was frowning and Kat saw me from across the bar. She left with her own unhappy expression on her lovely features. No more lies and no more hiding my displeasure.

Fade In:

Edge of Skrull Space: Salvage Ship Endido

Long range scans alerted them to its imminent arrival. They arrived a day early to ensure their salvage rights. The entire crew waited and watched the monitors as it came into view. Alarms tripped as the derelict tumbled ass over end across the border from Kree space into their territory. Salvage rights were theirs free and clear. The captain licked her lips in anticipation of a life changing haul.