Barely Human

by Dhtreichler

  “A personal question, so Suzette can go to sleep now.” Daniel asks as Suzette waves in response. “I understand the sex isn’t so great on your side.”

  Moshe. Has to be. Jermaine said he was communicating with the world. “You have to understand that Dr. Woodall only had a seventy percent solution six weeks ago. In fact this body wasn’t built for a woman. There have been interesting adjustments I’ve had to make. But let me ask you a question: What is the purpose of sex if you can no longer conceive a child? Start a family?”

  “Most sex isn’t between couples who want to make a baby.”

  “But why would we want to have sex if we don’t have any feelings?”

  YOU OR HE

  Jermaine comes by the office. “Have you showered or changed your clothes since you transitioned?” I have to ask. Not that he smells. He doesn’t because he doesn’t sweat. But he seems to be wearing the same jeans and t-shirt every day.

  “Do I need to?” he’s playing with me. His question is too rehearsed. Apparently, his wife asked him the same question.

  “Ask your wife.”

  “I didn’t have to. She insists even though I don’t think it’s all that big of a deal.”

  “I want to see you wearing something different every day, and you need to get on your team. Same deal. Don’t want you all behaving differently than everyone else here in the obvious things people come to expect.”

  “Man. You’re getting to be a hardass.” Jermaine informs me. “You never gave a shit about what anybody wore or their personal hygiene before.”

  “I figured the other members of the team would get offended by bad personal hygiene long before I would,” I inform him. “Clothes fit into that same category.”

  “So why you worried about our hygiene when it’s not a problem for the team?”

  “Because you still have to interact with folks who aren’t on the team and we don’t want to accentuate the differences any more than we need to.”

  “Okay. Got your message.”

  “So why are you here?” I have to ask as he has given me no indications so far.

  “A’zam.”

  “What about him?”

  “Well I tried out the prototype last night…”

  “And?”

  “It’s not perfect but I think it’s better than what it was.”

  “So, you upgraded A’zam today. Is that what you’re here to tell me?”

  “Software and hardware. Like a balloon. What can I tell you?”

  “And he wants me to come see him. Am I right?”

  “He said something about that as I remember. I think he wants to have a process discussion with you.”

  “What’s the process for him to get laid?” I observe. Jermaine simply shakes his head.

  “Did you get the courting and foreplay aspects in?”

  “Courting’s a little vague. There’s just so many ways you can do it and so many different circumstances. So that may not be as well defined as you asked for.”

  “What about Oriana? Does she have the female version far enough along I can try that out as long as I have to be the test bed for your little gem?”

  “I thought the test bed was in A’zam’s apartment.” Jermaine is not going to cut me any slack.

  I just look at him and he gets the message that I’m done with the bedroom humor for now.

  “She’s supposed to come over to see you when she gets all the testing complete. They were still experiencing some issues getting the feeling memories to coordinate with the proper levels of physical arousal.”

  “Great. I’ll have a tremendous build and no feelings about the release.”

  “Is that any different than the way it was originally?”

  “Not much,” I admit. “Okay, I’ve just sent you a series of new deliverables with impossible deadlines just to see how much you deserve to have this team. If you can’t deliver I may just have to put Zara in charge since she added so much more value than you did last time.”

  “I could use the time off. Now that I don’t have to worry about kids? Well it’s a lot more fun.”

  “What can you tell me about Moshe?”

  Jermaine rolls his eyes. “What did he do now?”

  “Sent an email to the press saying sex as an immortal isn’t much fun. Not sure, but he may have violated the agreement and told them he has transitioned and maybe even that we have plans to transition a whole bunch of folks. The Chronicle is getting that from somewhere.”

  “You think Moshe would do that?”

  “He’s not too happy with me at the moment. And you said he was communicating with the world.”

  “That I did.” Jermaine reflects. “As much of a butt head as he is, somehow I don’t see him doing anything that was going to cause him to lose his job or have to pay us back a mountain of dollars.”

  “Could you have a heart-to-heart with him, even though I know neither of you have one anymore. Let him know someone has violated company policy and contractual agreements that will get them fired when we are sure who it is. But let him know his current behavior has made us take a much closer look at what he’s doing than we would have otherwise.”

  “I can do that, just not in so many words.”

  “What words do you intend to use?”

  “Stop fucking up man, or you’re gonna get all our asses tossed.”

  “Nicely to the point.”

  Jermaine leaves as I consider that between Jackson and A’zam I would much rather sleep with Jackson. But then maybe Jermaine’s updates will close the gap somewhat. I think it would be nice if Jackson would call, especially since we didn’t get together for drinks when he called last time. There had been a police incident about a half hour before we were to meet. He was called in to participate in the neighborhood relations efforts to settle folks down.

  Then the Chronicle article with a Daniel Lynch byline appears before me. The headline is The Choice: Heaven or Hell. Basically, he’s sticking with his original premise. Even uses the conspiracy word in the first paragraph. I’m sure that’s to make sure I’ll not be giving him any more private time. As I read down I’m looking for anything that would specifically link Moshe as a source. But I come away both disappointed in the tone of the article, and in the fact, I can’t find anything that ties Moshe or anyone else at AppleCore I’m aware of to the story. So, who is his source?

  Suzette calls, of course. “Did you see what that no good sorry sack of … wrote?”

  “Just read it.”

  “Last time we give him preferential treatment.”

  “Why did we give him preferential treatment?” I’m curious as I remember the discussion, but there was no mention about what kind of article we expected to see.

  “He was writing all those speculative articles. We had to do something to get him to stop.”

  “So, he’s now writing based on an interview, which gives his stories more credibility than if he had just kept writing with no new source materials.”

  “How do you know he wouldn’t have had new source materials?” Suzette is curious I would make that statement.

  “As a matter of fact, I think he may have an inside source. We have one of the Immortals we transitioned who’s unhappy I didn’t give him a team when he came back.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Needs of the business. I needed a super team to solve a product issue we were having. They took care of it in less than a week, but I had to keep everyone on a super team rather than have ten immortals as the only immortal on a team of ten to fifteen folks.”

  “Clearly not something we’re prepared to talk about.”

  “No. But I suspect this one team member has sent emails. Petra got one from him. I didn’t know she even knew him. And she may not have, but been more than willing to answer an inside email.”

  “What do you want me to do?” Suzette clearly hasn’t a clue as to what we should do.

  “Nothing for now, but we need to figure out who will act
ually print the story we want them to tell. If we can get another viewpoint out there it will take some pressure off.”

  “I’ll take a look, but I’m not so sure any of those who requested an interview is going to give us what we want.”

  Listening I formulate the only question I have for her, “Then should we just shut down access and let the media speculate all they want?”

  “You’ve seen what that looks like. Do you want it to continue?”

  “Don’t think I’m ever going to answer the fundamental question Daniel Lynch believes is the crux of the whole story. And that is we’ve co-opted the system so no more medical emergency cases can get treatment. And in the process, we’re creating a super race of AppleCores who are going to take over the world in one fashion or another.”

  “If we decide to take over the world, can I manage that press conference?” She’s being facetious, but she really is serious.

  I hang up as Oriana arrives. Her appearance reminds me that someone down the hall thinks he has a hot date tonight and that would be me, even though I’m not at all interested in the opportunity to satisfy, or not, A’zam’s sexual desires.

  “You got something for me?” I ask as she comes in.

  Oriana looks unsure. Maybe it’s because she’s never delivered something she knew I’d be using personally to satisfy A’zam’s desires. “Something. Not sure it’s all that much better.”

  “Glad to see you’ve learned how to lower my expectations.”

  Oriana smiles but she doesn’t laugh. Apparently, she really is worried about this version. Why?

  “This could be marginally better, or it could be a disaster.”

  I shake my head, “I’m not worried.”

  “No hardware like Jermaine’s version, so at least that’s a plus.”

  “Why are you so dismissive of your own work?” I have to ask.

  “It’s not as good as what Jermaine produced.”

  “You only had a third of the hours he did, and you didn’t have most of his team helping you. So, I don’t expect them to be the same. Stop beating yourself up. It will be fine. As far as I’m concerned any improvement is welcome.”

  Oriana plugs her memory card in to upload the software. It only takes a minute before she removes the card and pronounces, “All done. Hopefully better than new.”

  “Sit down,” I ask her. “What’s keeping you from just deciding?”

  “About transitioning?” Oriana knows what I’m asking but for some reason she’s afraid to tell me the truth. What is it? Seems to be a lot of that going around.

  “You clearly don’t like where you’re at for the moment. You’re either going to be an immortal SVP of software and get back to being the best software developer in the company as you have been for a long time now, or you’re going to go be a mom. Both are worthy vocations.”

  “You don’t believe that.”

  “Au contraire. I was ready to go back.”

  “You’ve told me that a couple times now, but that just doesn’t seem like you. Maybe that’s why I question whether you were really going to or you’re just telling me that.”

  “Why would I just tell you that? You’re too important to me as a friend and colleague. If I have to bring Jermaine up here I lose my best solutions guy at the point of product development which is where I need him most. The two of you in the roles you’re in now is the strongest team I can put out there. But only if you transition so you can do your part.”

  “Jermaine becomes the SVP if I don’t transition.”

  I nod, wait for her to consider the situation.

  “I never could run circles around him the way I could the others,” she admits.

  “I know. I’ve watched the two of you grow into the most formidable team in the industry and it’s mostly because neither one of you would let the other get ahead of you. You both pushed each other, but you have different strengths and that’s why you’re so good.”

  Oriana looks torn. “If I decide to transition when would it happen?”

  “It will take them about a week to have the body conformed to your current appearance.”

  “So, a body for me already exists,” she is confirming what she thinks I’ve been doing behind the scenes.

  “When A’zam struck his deal with Dr. Woodall I gave the doctor the information on you and Jermaine that I knew they would need to have one ready early on. I knew if either of you chose not to transition that we have others here who would be able to use the body with the proper modifications.”

  “So, you always thought I’d do it,” she’s looking for an excuse now.

  “No, I knew I’d need one or the other of you in this role within 30 days. I wanted to make sure you had first choice, since you were already in it. But if you chose not to, Jermaine is ready.”

  “Why do you do that? Constantly let me know Jermaine is ready if I’m not.”

  “You are ready. You just have to decide,” I’m trying to be as even and quiet as I can be.

  Oriana looks up at the clock, “Are you ready for A’zam? Jermaine tells me he’s going to have an unbelievable experience whether you do or not.”

  She just won’t pull the trigger. “Shall I have the moving folks send up the boxes? I want Jermaine in your office on Friday if you’re not planning on staying.”

  She shakes her head. But she also won’t comment.

  “The reason I need Jermaine in your office on Friday is because that’s the day we start planning on how we might integrate Symbol Ventures into our organization. Either you or he will have to do it.”

  GAMES

  A’zam lets me into his apartment. He’s fully dressed this time. No bathrobe, mood music or incense burning to set the mood. This could as easily have been a business meeting. The two of us getting together to discuss business strategy or performance.

  The one clue that he is happy to see me is he is happy to see me. He is big even within his pants. Not a good thing. Apparently, Jermaine didn’t get the romancing logic operational before he updated A’zam. Wonder how Jermaine’s wife took that? But it’s not my problem, A’zam is. I figure the best thing is for me to attack the problem, which is what I always do. I push the door closed behind me and go right to him, unbuckling his belt, unzipping his pants and pulling down his underpants. His new device, as Jermaine described it, stands up as it is given freedom from A’zam’s clothes. I take a firm grasp of it and squeeze. A’zam clearly feels that, must have been too hard, even though he is too hard and that’s the problem I’m trying to address. Even while I’m holding him his device starts to shrink in size. Guess my little maneuver worked.

  A’zam doesn’t seem to know how to deal with me, apparently thinking I would just lie down and spread for him. “I see Jermaine was over.”

  “He said Oriana was going to take care of you.”

  “She did.” I don’t want to tell him more.

  “So, you should enjoy this at least as much as I will.”

  “Jermaine said his wife was very happy and he was happier. What can I tell you?” I counter.

  “Not what Jermaine told me. Said I’d be fucking blown away.”

  “He said that?” I want him to know he’s not channeling Jermaine very well. “Hmmm. Doesn’t sound like Jermaine.”

  “You know what I mean.” A’zam starts to unbutton my blouse. Clearly no romancing. Must be in a hurry to get to drinks with MC. I don’t start on his clothes, just standing there and letting him do his thing. He gets a puzzled expression, but lets it pass. Doesn’t take long before he has my blouse off and is slipping my skirt down over my hips. I step out of it and kick off my shoes. He steps into me and rubs his hands over my back and shoulders. I think Oriana has made me a little more sensitive and tied this to a memory. I’m not turned on, but I can see where I could get into the mood.

  He’s still fully dressed as he bends to kiss my breasts, lick the nipples and then kiss his way up to my neck. I feel the first moisture in my vagina. Not enough for
intercourse yet, but the first step in that direction. Oriana has done a good job of working out the incremental wetness. A’zam is now kissing my neck and nibbles at my ear lobes. Another release of wetness. A’zam pushes my panties down and kneels down to kiss his way to my inner thighs and run his tongue over my trigger. Another moisture release and if he came in now it probably would work for him, but I know I can get much wetter than this. I bring him back up to his feet and unbutton his shirt.

  A’zam is not much interested in slow so he takes his shirt off and drops his pants to the floor which have been unbuckled since I arrived. I reach down and pull down his underpants. His device is not as big as before, but it is rising to the occasion. Don’t know if that’s a gradual build based on my nakedness and his kisses or whether it’s driven by some other logic Jermaine has created. A’zam takes off his shoes and drops them to the floor before sweeping me off my feet as he carries me towards the test bed as Jermaine named it.

  A’zam places me on the bed and climbs up on top of me where he starts kissing me. Little nips at first but it doesn’t take long for the tongue to find its way into my mouth. No question A’zam has somewhere else to be as he does not intend to wait for me to get aroused. He is and that’s all he needs to know. Must be he wants to know how much better the upgrade is before he tries it out on someone else tonight, probably MC is the target of opportunity he has chosen. Not sure that will happen, if she is as resolved as she indicated. But even if she isn’t I’m going to find out two things before he goes running off on me. The first is whether his orgasm is better than before and properly triggered. I can tell already that there may be an issue in that A’zam has overridden any romancing requirements to get to a peak experience. The second thing I want to know is whether mine is any better than before. I can see that Oriana has done a better job of linking feeling memories, wetness reactions and the physical reactions of intercourse.

  I decide I’m going to slow him down again. I grab his device, give it a hard yank and then squeeze. Only this time I’m deliberately squeezing hard in expectation that it will get smaller, but to my chagrin, it doesn’t. In fact, it seems to expand in my hand. Filling it up to use Windy’s term. So, Jermaine’s balloon is working. Must be that the yank is what activates it. I squeeze it hard again and it shrinks back down to the original size apparently sensing it is in a smaller space.