system?”
Joshua leaned back against the desk as the sparkly remnants of the girls’ arms faded from around his body. “Most programmers do end up working for Rendition but not all. We’re always on the lookout for the mavericks—those people whose creativity would be stifled working for a big company, the nonconformists. Then we stay out of their way as much as possible. We may open an opportunity here and there but always through secondary channels.”
Jess put her arm back around Ellie. “And this was from one of those people? How could they create something for you if you weren’t involved?”
“My brother is something of a prude at times,” Ellie said. “His explanation would leave you to believe there are secret workshops coming up with next-generation technology for the good of mankind.”
Joshua lost some of his composure and age. “I am not a prude. I’m just not as curious about human sexuality as some Tobes.” His accusatory glance didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.
Ellie grimaced. “Fine, I admit it. But we’ve learned a lot from Jess about what’s possible. What we try to do for humans, they can sometimes accomplish all on their own with sex. Not often down here on Earth, but at least in theory, it can happen.”
“An ongoing conversation we’re not going to answer today,” Joshua said. “But what Ellie’s saying is this technology was originally created to help people experience virtual sex with each other.”
Emily and Sara giggled as Jess blushed, not something Sam had seen very often. Only Jillian seemed unbothered by the topic. “I’ve done enough traveling to see how that could be useful. Long-distance relationships have their shortcomings.”
Ellie smiled at her brother. “He makes it sound all noble. It wasn’t. Basically, it was next-level pornography. The first version did have to do with people trying to touch each other over the network. But it was crude, without texture. The result felt like something pushing on some section of skin. Even now, all we can create is resistance. The tactile experiences—the rough wetness of a tongue, or the silky texture of skin—those are still next-generation experiences. We should be able to create many of those feelings, but we still have a ways to go.”
“So this developer’s sex site was a bust?” Jillian asked.
“Far from it,” Ellie said. “People found the person-to-person aspect frustrating, but programming physical sensation into porn videos was a big hit. It freed up people’s hands, as it were.” She gave Sam a wink that made him very uncomfortable.
Joshua put a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “For now, it doesn’t have any practical applications, but we’ve found that a lot of stuff that starts out as novelties ends up with the most potential.”
Jess snorted. “‘No practical applications.’ You make me laugh, Josh. Human touch is a fundamental part of our existence. I can’t think of another experience that will teach you more about who we are.”
“I want to believe that,” Ellie said. “I do believe that. But we’ve only started playing with this technology. Joshua and I are the first to incorporate it into our systems. And you, Jess, were the first person I touched.”
Jess’s eyes grew wet. “That was the first time any Tobe has touched a human? Wow.”
Ellie grinned at Jess. “We weren’t even sure what would happen. The theory was sound, but we didn’t have time to run any tests with people. You can imagine our first choice would have been Sam. But next to him, you’re the person we most wanted to touch in the whole world.”
Sam thought she sounded a lot like his daughters, but in Ellie’s case, he knew it wasn’t an exaggeration.
“We do have a favor to ask,” Joshua said. “It’s regarding the next level of modifications to Touch. That’s what we’re calling this technology, at least amongst ourselves. We could really use Emily and Sara’s help.”
Emily beamed up at
Joshua leaned back against the desk as the sparkly remnants of the girls’ arms faded from around his body. “Most programmers do end up working for Rendition but not all. We’re always on the lookout for the mavericks—those people whose creativity would be stifled working for a big company, the nonconformists. Then we stay out of their way as much as possible. We may open an opportunity here and there but always through secondary channels.”
Jess put her arm back around Ellie. “And this was from one of those people? How could they create something for you if you weren’t involved?”
“My brother is something of a prude at times,” Ellie said. “His explanation would leave you to believe there are secret workshops coming up with next-generation technology for the good of mankind.”
Joshua lost some of his composure and age. “I am not a prude. I’m just not as curious about human sexuality as some Tobes.” His accusatory glance didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.
Ellie grimaced. “Fine, I admit it. But we’ve learned a lot from Jess about what’s possible. What we try to do for humans, they can sometimes accomplish all on their own with sex. Not often down here on Earth, but at least in theory, it can happen.”
“An ongoing conversation we’re not going to answer today,” Joshua said. “But what Ellie’s saying is this technology was originally created to help people experience virtual sex with each other.”
Emily and Sara giggled as Jess blushed, not something Sam had seen very often. Only Jillian seemed unbothered by the topic. “I’ve done enough traveling to see how that could be useful. Long-distance relationships have their shortcomings.”
Ellie smiled at her brother. “He makes it sound all noble. It wasn’t. Basically, it was next-level pornography. The first version did have to do with people trying to touch each other over the network. But it was crude, without texture. The result felt like something pushing on some section of skin. Even now, all we can create is resistance. The tactile experiences—the rough wetness of a tongue, or the silky texture of skin—those are still next-generation experiences. We should be able to create many of those feelings, but we still have a ways to go.”
“So this developer’s sex site was a bust?” Jillian asked.
“Far from it,” Ellie said. “People found the person-to-person aspect frustrating, but programming physical sensation into porn videos was a big hit. It freed up people’s hands, as it were.” She gave Sam a wink that made him very uncomfortable.
Joshua put a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “For now, it doesn’t have any practical applications, but we’ve found that a lot of stuff that starts out as novelties ends up with the most potential.”
Jess snorted. “‘No practical applications.’ You make me laugh, Josh. Human touch is a fundamental part of our existence. I can’t think of another experience that will teach you more about who we are.”
“I want to believe that,” Ellie said. “I do believe that. But we’ve only started playing with this technology. Joshua and I are the first to incorporate it into our systems. And you, Jess, were the first person I touched.”
Jess’s eyes grew wet. “That was the first time any Tobe has touched a human? Wow.”
Ellie grinned at Jess. “We weren’t even sure what would happen. The theory was sound, but we didn’t have time to run any tests with people. You can imagine our first choice would have been Sam. But next to him, you’re the person we most wanted to touch in the whole world.”
Sam thought she sounded a lot like his daughters, but in Ellie’s case, he knew it wasn’t an exaggeration.
“We do have a favor to ask,” Joshua said. “It’s regarding the next level of modifications to Touch. That’s what we’re calling this technology, at least amongst ourselves. We could really use Emily and Sara’s help.”
Emily beamed up at
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