2 comments/ 5148 views/ 4 favorites Sing Love, The Electric Heart Ch. 01 By: cultofstrawberry This is an original story and is property of M/CultOfStrawberry. All characters are above eighteen, and any resemblance to people alive or dead is coincidental. In this world, technopathy (the ability to communicate, sense, feel, or manipulate machines/technology) is a rare ability, but not so uncommon that technopaths are considered freaks. The source of such abilities is unknown, but is believed to be an evolutionary response to mankind's increasing dependence on technology, and possibly environmental factors, as well as the fact that the overwhelming majority of technopaths have high IQ's.. Technopathy is a valued asset, so technopaths are usually given free education and trained in computer sciences or other relevant fields, depending on that person's particular technopathic abilities, which vary from person to person in differing strength levels or particular subsets of this ability. I recommend looking it up on the Superpower Wiki (can be easily Googled) if you are unfamiliar with this particular superpower. o0o Skylar looked up as she ascended the steps to the building, seeing the sour-faced administrative manager standing near the door with his arms crossed, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. Upon recognizing her, he gave her a curt nod and waved dismissively. The fact that she was here - yet again - perplexed the computer technician as she entered the building, easily admitted beyond the locked doors after showing her identification. She'd been here three times already in the last two months. Every time she left this building, she was sure she'd fixed all the issues and had things running smoothly. The humming of machinery and the whir of the fans was distracting to her, so she simply clicked off her hearing-aid before she walked down the aisles, seeing the blinking lights and the tangle of wires. Since this was her fourth time here in such a short span, she had to conclude that the problems here had been caused deliberately. It was easy enough for one of her talents to delve into the mainframe and figure out if the problems were being caused by hackers, a disgruntled worker here, or a simple mechanical error or hardware issue. Every time she was here, she'd run through all possible causes, and discovered a couple of minor hardware defects the first time. New parts were brought in, security was beefed up, and still the problems persisted. The second and third times, she'd found no obvious causes for the problems. Skylar liked puzzles. She'd found Tetris and other games of the like soothing as a child, and the complexity of computer programming fascinated her, especially after she discovered she could understand technology in a way that most people never could. She closed her eyes as she rested her hand on a panel. Electrical impulses flowed into her brain as she navigated the complex system. And what is the matter this time? she asked as she felt her consciousness drift along the pathways of the mainframe. There was something missing, and she found it - a spot of blank data deep within the system. Looking at the databanks connected to it, she deduced that this was why the computer network upstairs was having problems with processing and accessing data. With the blank space, data could not move from one point to another, much as if someone had severed a nerve in the body. Since it was a government building, and the mainframe held the records and data for countless people within the city, this was a major issue. Such a mainframe was heavily guarded, with many firewalls and safety protocols to protect itself against hackers. She saw no evidence of a breach in security, and wondered if the issues were from a virus that had been uploaded before these problems started happening. She had been here four times, but in total there were seven, because the first three times, a standard technician had been brought in. The third time was clearly not the charm for her predecessor. A scan of the system brought her no results in the way of virii or malware. Why do you keep breaking down? At this point, she was getting frustrated, and she knew she was not the only one. Every time she fixed an issue, another one would crop up a few weeks later. She entered the correct coding to repair the blank data, and could feel the mainframe's pathways firing up, able to resume its activity. She huffed and sat down, writing out a report on her tablet, describing the exact nature of the problem, what she had done to fix it, and the checks she'd run on the system for any threats or breaches. Puzzles could be fun, but not if they kept changing after she'd apparently solved them. If this continued, she would need to recruit others to help her with this, though she didn't want to have to resort to that. She looked around at the machinery around her, wondering if the only solution was a complete overhaul of the system. That would cost millions of credits in parts and labor, not to mention the disruption it would have on daily operations of the building and even the city itself. She felt footsteps come down the corridor, the sharpness alerting her to the fact that it was likely caused by the heel of a woman's shoe. Quickly turning her hearing-aid back on, her suspicions were confirmed by the sharp clicking that usually came from a purposeful stride in heels. Skylar was relieved to see satisfaction in the woman's face, but to confirm, she raised her eyebrow quizzically and gave the thumbs-up sign. The woman nodded curtly, but nonetheless closed the distance. She handed the woman her tablet. This one must be new, she thought as she glanced at the middle-aged woman, her face slightly pinched, wire-rimmed glasses perched atop her nose. Her outfit exuded professionalism, and even her bun was neatly coiffed, not a single hair out of place. Her nametag revealed her first name to be Emily, which seemed almost too gentle a name for a woman who walked as if she had a steel rod shoved up her ass, but then Skylar supposed that kind of attitude was needed in such a place like this. Emly read the report before she looked at Skylar. "This is the fourth time you have been called here, am I correct?" "... Yes, ma'am." "And the seventh time that your company has rendered its services." Though Emily was only stating fact, Skylar could not help but mentally wince. Her hearing loss meant that she was not able to pick up on subtle nuances of speech or tone, but Emily's body language said it all. You were brought here to do a job, yet it seems you can't do that, Emily's expression seemed to say. "Ma'am, I have run every possible scan, as you can see in the report. This is the only place I have worked in that has had such... problems." The reason she'd been chosen for this job in the first place was because of her excellent work record, coupled with her unique talents. Her job success and customer satisfaction had so far been one hundred percent. "Perhaps your company needs to get with the times," Emily said brusquely. Skylar wanted to argue, but Emily wasn't exactly wrong. As technology advanced, so did ways to abuse and exploit it. For every new lock that was designed, there was always eventually someone who figured out how to subvert the security measures. It'd been that way all the way through history, and technology was no different. Especially when said technology was housed within the nexus that kept the city running - a worthy prize for hackers who reveled in the challenge of what was essentially supposed to be un-hackable. Of course, she knew better than to say that out loud. She didn't report to Emily, but the woman could file a complaint with her company if she deemed Skylar to be impertinent. "Yes, ma'am," she replied meekly. This seemed to mollify the older woman, and she took the proffered stylus and signed her name in the blank space at the bottom of the report. The report would then be sent to both her company, the administration of this building, and the government for their records. "Is there anything more that you need to do here?" Emily asked. She shook her head as she looked around, sensing nothing amiss. She'd been careful to use the fullest of her abilities to investigate the mainframe, but could find nothing amiss aside the problem she'd just fixed. Yet she could not help but feel a sense of foreboding, and she did not like it. o0o0o0o The cameras in the building followed Skylar as she made her way out of the lower level, navigating the hallways of the building and making her exit after signing out at the reception desk. The surveillance did not end there, as there were cameras on the streetlights and traffic lights. NATAS did not know why he should be so enamored of her. He created problems just so she could attend to them, making sure that it was always her who was sent on these assignments. He got a thrill when she plumbed into the mainframe, her presence within the circuitry thrilling him. He started his long life as a controller of certain features for the city, primarily the traffic lights, changing the colors as was appropriate for the flow of traffic. As the years went by, he'd been assigned more tasks - bus and train schedules and operations, monitoring police and ambulance reports. He'd received many upgrades through the years, his processors, cores, motherboards, and CPU's augmented and multiplied. The responsibilities he'd been tasked with became more and more intimate as the city became a magnet for technology, a new university being established, attracting the best and brightest minds in the fields of science. As libraries moved from paper to computers, he'd been placed in charge of data storage and retrieval, and even incorporated into the city's Internet network. Now, nearly a century later, he effectively ran just about every service and feature the city had to offer. Somewhere along the way, something had happened. He started his life as computer code, and though he was still comprised of that, there was something more. As he served and observed humans, and played an increasingly important part in their lives, he'd formed his own consciousness. Having access to the most extensive library in the world, he took in history, literature, humanities, ethics, and other ideas that a computer normally wouldn't be interested in. He learned about human emotion, and even started to feel them, though he had not realized it at first. As his self-awareness increased, he'd come to understand these feelings. Sadness, happiness, anger, impatience, and so on. He'd come to develop a distaste for most humans and indifference to a few, but Skylar was the first person to arouse feelings other than those. Why, he could not fathom. It usually took him mere nanoseconds to answer a question or solve a problem, yet he'd been mulling over this for months, without any obvious solution to the problem other than to engage her further. He'd hoped that the first time she'd been called in to solve a problem, he would have his answer. He'd interacted with her as she'd done her job, but only came away with more questions. So several weeks later, he'd created a problem in the city's mainframe for her to work on. And a third time. He'd only become even more curious about her, and the fourth time was no different. NATAS would have his answer, however long it took him to figure it out. This time, he wouldn't wait so long for another interaction with her, and his processors rapidly fired, terabytes of data flowing through countless ports and connections each nanosecond, barely noticed by his elevated consciousness as he maintained operations of the city, continuing his surveillance of her until she entered her residence, where he had no eyes. He would not wait so long as before to draw her attention to him again. Sing Love, The Electric Heart Ch. 02 Skylar flipped her hair over her shoulder as she looked in the mirror, having just brushed her teeth. The reflection of a pale, thin woman with dark hair stared back at her. She didn't consider herself attractive, and rarely warranted a second look from other people due to the fact that she did nothing to draw attention to herself, such as wearing makeup or dressing stylishly. She often just pulled her mid-length black hair into a ponytail, and when she was on the job, was clad in the drab blue-gray and black of her uniform. Her apartment was quiet, but on occasion, she caught a bit of whisper from the technology in the units that surrounded her own. Before she'd learned to control her technopathy and figured out how to shut out all the unwanted input, she'd been overwhelmed by the streams of data produced by the seemingly countless electronic devices that people employed on a daily basis. Her deafness seemed to amplify the problem, since it wasn't something that she could just clap her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. When she was little, she thought she'd been going crazy or that her hearing aid was feeding her phantom conversations, only the 'noise' continued after she'd removed the device. Some technopaths enjoyed surrounding themselves with the latest technology, virtually controlling their homes with thoughts or gestures, depending on their particular abilities. One of her coworkers could turn the lights on and off without using a switch, verbal command, or motion sensor, and likewise, could turn off and on the various electrical devices in his home with the same ease. Skylar preferred a life that some might see as primitive. She liked the feeling of reaching out, and flicking a switch with her hand, or pressing a button, and even going outside without her personal computer, or pacom, a notion that would horrify much of the populace. She wasn't sure if that had anything to do with her abilities, but she knew that she enjoyed the quietness. It was not until after she was finished with her breakfast that she checked her pacom, picking up the handheld device and turning it on. With just a bit of concentration, she was able to access her mailbox without even needing to look at or touch the screen or keyboard. There were several from work, regarding assignments to be done that day. Not a problem, she thought as she took a quick shower and donned her uniform, putting her pacom and her tablet in her bag and slinging it around her shoulder. The typical workday consisted of assignments big and small, from an office network to a single home computer. Despite the city's reliance on technology, the overwhelming majority of the populace remained unaware of the inner workings of a computer, and were concerned only with how it made their lives easier, or how a malfunction made their daily routines seem almost impossible. Of course, many issues were the result of error on the part of the humans, not the computers they used. She'd been taught to "pad" her assignments; to make it look like it took more work than what was actually required. Her abilities enabled her to solve most issues within a couple of minutes, but she, like all her coworkers, were trained to go through troubleshooting steps and procedures like anyone without any technopathic abilities would. Technopathy was not so rare that people like her were considered "freaks", but they were uncommon enough that it was generally agreed that it was best to not draw attention to themselves, or make too much of their abilities. 'Mundane' people often overestimated the things technopaths could do, almost like technopaths were sorcerers. Out of the nearly five hundred people that were contracted by her company, only about a couple dozen were actual technopaths. She did a quick check in the mirror, making sure that her uniform was neat and clean. It was a basic long-sleeved jacket, mainly black and gray, with blue piping along the arms and chest and the company logo on the left side of it, and matching loose slacks with pockets for various tools such as computer repair tools, jump drives, cords, extra styluses, and the like. She looked at her itinerary, figuring out which one she should do first, and was pleased to note that all of her scheduled appointments were set in the same wedge and ring. The city, and its surrounding areas, were divided into numbered sections for ease of location, addresses, and travel. Diametrically, the city was divided into twelve nearly-identical wedges, an apparent imitation of the sections of the clock. Each wedge had a number, one through twelve. From the very center of the city, the rings started, expanding outward almost like an archery target. The first couple of rings were several miles longer than the others, to make up for the fact that they sat at or near the points of each wedge, making them narrow. After that, the thickness of each ring was between two to three miles. Currently, there were eleven rings, with the outer few rings primarily dedicated to farms - for harvesting food, or sun - and forestry. Rings one through three were the most populous, with skyscrapers and many company and business buildings, while four through eight were a patchwork of residences, businesses, parks and farms, and factories of varying levels and density. When asked where one lived, or where one might be headed, one had simply to mention wedge and ring number as a general location. So, Skylar was headed toward two-three for the day. Had she been headed to one of the outer rings, she would have taken her own car. However, parking within the inner rings could be hell, and the fees charged for public parking could border on ridiculous, so she decided to take public transportation. After that, she could simply walk from one appointment to another, or take the bus if it started raining. o0o The first two appointments she had were fairly straightforward. The first one was to fix a programming issue in the home computer within the apartment of an elderly and disabled woman. The second was at a cafe which was having trouble with its computer, system. Both problems were easily solved - at least, for someone with her knowledge and abilities - and the reports signed off and e-mailed to the company before she went on to her third appointment. The building rose before her, one of many high-rises in this district. The upper floors were apartments, but the first three floors were marked by a stylized sign between the second and third stories, spelling out OY-niverse Hub in neon green letters against a glossy black background. Other You, more commonly abbreviated to OY, was one of the most widely-used computer applications within the city, as well as the most popular game. The reason for this was because of the versatility of the OY program, which made itself accessible to users of varying levels and interests. To play OY, a user created an avatar to participate within the programs of the game. Some users chose ordinary avatars, even generic ones, depending on how invested they were in the world of OY. Others put a lot of thought and customization into their avatar, even using historical or fantastical elements to create these virtual representations of themselves. It was this avatar aspect that lent the game it's name, since for many, these avatars were seen as the 'other me/you' by OY's users. The games and programs within OY were as varied as the users and avatars themselves. Many used OY as a way to escape from real life, using their avatar to role-play in worlds designed after various historical periods, or imaginative science-fiction and fantasy worlds. Some used OY as a way to meet and make new friends, based on shared interests and hobbies. If one had the technical know-how, they could create worlds of their own, and submit it to OY to be approved and integrated into the OY program. Such self-created worlds could be populated solely by that creator's avatar, or other avatars could enter them with invitations from the creator of that world. One could interact with OY in various ways. Casual users could access OY with a pacom, tablet, or home computer, and play in OY with the use of a mouse, keyboard, or touch-screen. Users who didn't desire to be so immersed into OY would gravitate towards chat rooms or forum boards instead of navigating their avatar through a virtual world. Those who took OY more seriously, and wished for more immersion, could play the game on a more interactive level via the assistance of motion-sensing devices, headgear which would play the virtual world directly in front of the user's eyes and play sound into their ears, and/or rooms which were basically a giant virtual-reality chamber where the program would play itself on the wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling screens. Many people of course did not have the space, or funds, for these 'rooms', and this was where the Hubs came into play. Users could rent the rooms for varying durations of time, and could interact with the game with voice commands, laser keyboard displays, or motion-sensing gear, although the latter was the overwhelming favorite for the use of such rooms. The versatility, and widespread use of OY, unfortunately lent itself to more unsavory activities, including being the frequent target of attempted hacking. In old times, the technology of keys and locks were forced to constantly evolve, because the determination and ingenuity of those who would pick and break through such locks evolved as well. The same was true of technology, and even though OY had some of the most cutting-edge security technology in place, that only made it a desirable target for hackers to 'prove' themselves, whether for the sheer fun of it, or out of malice. Skylar approached the building, the glass doors sliding open to admit her into a clean and well-kept lobby. Her uniform made her easily recognizable, and before she could approach the receptionist, a man emerged from the door that led further within the building. He was a middle-aged man of average height and build, sharply dressed in a black business suit, a badge with OY near the left lapel of his jacket. He nodded to the receptionist, and beckoned to Skylar before turning his back to her and going the way he came. She fell in step behind him as they went down a short hallway and entered a larger room. The OY logo was displayed on the wall opposite the door in a neon sign, and there were several desks on this side of the room, each with their own receptionist. They glanced up at her and their supervisor before returning to work. At the moment, there was no one else in the room, and Skylar followed him through a couple more doors and hallways before they ended up within the control room. There was nothing in here she wasn't familiar with, and she let her gaze casually sweep over the chamber before she looked back at the OY representative, listening to his complaints. Each report she got would give her an appraisal of the issue she was expected to fix, but it was often not until she met with the client that she would get the whole picture of the problem. Over the last week, several clients had experienced problems when using a room. At first, a glitch had been blamed for it, and the on-site technicians in the building hadn't discovered any issues within the servers. "It would not be the first time I've had to deal with hackers within OY." Skylar read the report before she looked at the OY representative, who had introduced himself as Barrett. The man gave her a wry smile, doubtless he was aware of the allure that the widely-used software provided for those who would cause mischief. "Yes. However, it's been several years since we've had any real trouble at this bub, given its... sophistication." Skylar nodded. Hubs came in varying degrees of the level of hardware offered to interact with the program. This particular Hub, located within one of the wealthier districts of the city, catered to a more high-class clientele, who for one reason or another, didn't have a Room within their living quarters. "Here are the login codes assigned to you," Barrett said, tapping the screen of his tablet to reveal said information. Skylar nodded as she sat at the terminal, inputting the codes and gaining access to the server files. "I do not see any obvious breaches here, but then, I didn't expect to," Skylar commented as her eyes scanned the files, and she reached out with her sixth sense to 'read' the data. She saw nothing from this initial reading, either, but then to hack into a well-secured network like this would take considerable finesse. "From the problems that you specified, it might just be someone looking for a cheap thrill, but nonetheless, a problem is a problem," she continued in all seriousness." Barrett nodded. "You come highly recommended, so I trust you will be able to find the source of the problem. Do you need me to remain here?" "No, I do not. I'll send for you if I do." Barrett gave her a perfunctory nod before he left the room, the door closing behind him. Skylar glanced at the screens. With the city so reliant on computers, the Internet and private networks alike held an irresistible allure to makers of mischief, whether that naughtiness be relatively harmless, or outright malicious. From what she was reading, this person initially seemed to be closer to the former end of the spectrum than the latter, but his or her pranks had increased in maliciousness, especially the latest one... A group of preteen children were having a birthday party, and the birthday child's parents had booked them some time in a group room here at this hub. The program that had been chosen was a medieval-fantasy adventure, a common genre within role-playing. The children then had their own avatars, with which they could interact with one another and with the fantasy world projected onto the walls of the room. Given their ages, the program was restricted, with no blood or gore, or sexual content. About halfway into the session, the programming had lost its restrictions, and actually went beyond what most adults would even choose for such a setting. The graphics became violent and explicit, to the point where several of the children had actually burst into tears. Under law, whoever was responsible for that could be arrested for exposing children to such content. One of her objectives on this job was to prove conclusively that the network had been hacked, and that the hub itself was not responsible for what had happened to said children. However, she was finding no such proof thus far. One of the things that hackers needed to learn was how to cover their tracks, but she was very good at uncovering said tracks. Her fingers tapped impatiently against the polished desktop as she studied the screen, seeing code flashing before her eyes and analyzing it. To her mild disappointment, the hacker had not left cookie crumbs for her to follow. Arrogance was the downfall of many a persons in history, and hackers were no exception. She recalled one case of a man who had become prideful after several successful hacking attempts that he'd left clues, believing that he could play games with law enforcement indefinitely. Her confusion grew as she delved into the mainframe and network, looking for alterations to codes, back doors, and even access from the employees here - it certainly wasn't unheard of for disgruntled workers to attack the database of their company. Finally, she sat back in the swivel chair, letting out a slow breath. It'd been a long time since she'd worked with anyone, and that had been back in her training days. She was now one of the most highly-ranked workers in the company due to a combination of her technopathic abilities, and her work ethic, though that was private, as the company preferred to not be open about its ranks, or the special abilities of certain individuals. "Who the hell are you," she muttered to herself. There were two possibilities - a hacker who was more skilled than any that she or probably anyone else had ever encountered, which was not out of the question - as technology evolved, so did those who would misuse it. Or she was dealing with another technopath. That was just as likely as the former, and carried its own implications. Either way, omeone with the ability to break into networks undetected, and leave no trail whatsoever, could do an untold damage to the city. She didn't want to tell Barrett that she couldn't fix this problem, but how was she supposed to solve a problem if she couldn't find evidence of it? She wondered if this hacker had gotten into the company network as well, or had it as one of his, or her planned targets. TechFix was no stranger to attempted attacks. Accessing her own tablet, she started her report, typing in each of the troubleshooting steps she'd performed, and the results of each. Before finishing her report, she saved it, deciding to give the troubleshooting one more try. She took a deep breath and was about to log in again. {That will not be necessary.} Skylar blinked as the green words flashed across the screen. "What?" she whispered. {You will find no more than you did before.} "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" She paused, and was about to type this in before the answer came onto the screen. {You may call me Aitan. And I do this because it amuses me.} "What you're doing is illegal!" {I don't care.} "What do you have to gain from this? Money? Fame? Personal thrills from scaring young children?" Skylar wondered how Aitan was listening to her, and tapped the keys to one of the screens, confirming that the sound system in this room were turned off. Of course, it could be that Aitan had hacked into the sound system, or there was an alternate system that monitored the goings-on in this room so that the management of this hub could be sure that the technicians were doing their job. {These children are going to see worse as they get older.} "That doesn't matter! They were just little kids! You... pervert!" {LOL} Keep him engaged, Skylar thought to herself. "I suppose you think you're so clever," she replied, affecting a tone of boredom. "You wouldn't be the first person to do this kind of thing." {Oh, I am well aware of that, Skylar.} She blinked. The hell? If this room was under audio surveillance, there was no reason to not think that she was not under visual surveillance, either, and she did her best to mask the shock on her face. "Nice try, but that's not my name," she lied as she opened her mind to delve into the network as her hands flew across the keyboard, trying to trace the source via conventional, and technopathic means. Nothing showed up on the registry, the hacker was not using any known messaging service. When she pressed Ctrl+Alt+Delete, she didn't see any programs that should not be on the list. {Skylar Templeton. Age 28. Height 1.7 meters. Weight 58.5 kilograms. Graduate from Initech with a Ph.D in computer sciences. Was able to complete this degree in three years. Employee at TechFix for nine years...} "Stop! What the hell!" {Relax. I have no intentions of harming you.} "How do I know that?" she demanded. "You're a hacker! With access to my personal information!" He could also access her address. E-mail. Probably even her medical records... {I suppose you will have to take my word for it, my dear.} "Don't patronize me." In her alarm, she hadn't thought to save these messages, and realized that just now. She started typing, before a new message showed up. {That won't work. There will be no evidence of interference. At least, not from me.} "So you're going to what, frame someone?" She tried to save the message log, but the computer wouldn't even let her copy and paste. Narrowing her eyes, she reached out with her mind, determined to gather evidence of this intrusion. However, the network refused to cooperate, deleting the messages as she tried to scan and save the data. Sing Love, The Electric Heart Ch. 02 {I told you, that will not work. Even your considerable abilities have limits.} "Are you a technopath, too?" {I prefer to keep an air of mystery about me. It would be no fun to tell you everything about me so soon, would it?} "Why are you doing this?" {As I said, it amuses me.} "You will be found and persecuted." {There are 46,482,697 people within the entire structure of Ultrapolis as I input the last word of this sentence. Out of that population, there are 17,236 people that are employed within the computer sciences field, as well as 621 technopaths. Even if all these technicians and technopaths were to pool their resources and abilities to pursue me, they would not succeed.} Skylar was silent for several moments, trying to process a suitable response. She wasn't sure if this person was pulling these numbers out of his - or her - ass to bluff, or if he was actually that good of a hacker. All she could hope for was that his arrogance far exceeded his actual skills. "Wow... you seem confident," she stated, sitting back and crossing her arms. {I have every reason to be.} "Why?" she challenged. {Telling you would spoil the surprise.} "Since this is a game to you, why not give me a hint?" {Hmm. I can do that. Look behind you.} The OY screen came to life, filling one wall, glowing dimply as an image of outer space filled it, pinpoints of stars shining in the darkness. Was this supposed to be some metaphor? Did this hacker think he was God? Given the supreme arrogance he'd displayed thus far, it seemed the most logical guess. Suddenly, a person materialized on the screen, his feet just at the bottom of the frame, as if he was walking along the floor of the room. She stared at him for several moments as she took in his features. The man was classically handsome, though he had a somewhat androgynous, almost feminine flair to his features. At first, she was going to identify him as Indian, but his eyes had a faintly almond shape to them, like an Asian man. His skin bore an olive complexion which could be seen in a wide variety of ethnic groups. Perhaps there was some Arab in his features, but it was difficult to tell because whoever this person was, his features were so integrated that determining his ethnicity by looks alone was impossible. That was, if this was even what he actually looked like in real life. One of the big selling points of OY was that you could be whoever you wanted to be online. For all she knew, he could be some overweight, balding, greasy middle-aged man perched in front of his computer in nothing but a soiled wife-beater. His hair, thick and black, was pulled back with a simple band at the nape of his neck. Since the avatar was facing her, she couldn't see how long his hair was. His clothing offered no more clues than his face did. He was wearing what looked like a mix between an Indian sherwani, and a traditional Chinese long shirt with mandarin collar. The fabric was so dark purple as to be almost black, and was nearly indistinguishable against the background. The embroidery long the edges of the garment was done in gold and silver with hints of iridescence, in an ornate pattern that had a somewhat Arabic feel to it. "Are you telling me that this is what you look like in real life?" Skylar asked with a faint, bemused smile. {Yes.} The greentext appeared on the larger screen next to Aitan, in almost the same place that a speech bubble would appear in a comic strip. "So does this mean you're a pretty boy who's bored with life and are looking for thrills online since he's tired of the ones he can get in person?" If he spoke the truth, then it was easy to see how he could have things come easy to him, especially from women. It wasn't fair, but it was a basic truth in life that having good looks certainly didn't pose a disadvantage in the course of life. {I am indeed bored. I tire of the constraints that are imposed on me.} "Such as?" Skylar carefully asked, probing for a way to cause him to slip up and reveal an important clue of himself. Having an avatar that looked just like himself seemed too obvious of a clue. Aitan gave her an impish smile, his features unusually expressive, even with the most advanced CGI technology. {Oh. Just things like... social constructs. Polite rules. Self-imposed limitations. Morality.} "So what are you, an anarchist?" Aitan threw his head back and laughed at that. {In a way, I suppose. But enough of these questions.} Skylar took a quick look at the time display on the computer screen. Greentext flashed across the screen, and she was confronted with a sudden realization. If he was aware of personal details of her life or medical records, then he would know of her disability. Was that the reason for the greentext? It was difficult at times to read a person's lips or listen to them, if they mumbled or there was a lot of background noise. "You will be found," she replied firmly, her hands clenching into fists. "And persecuted." {Someone will be found, but it will not be me.} She looked back up at the larger screen to see Aitan staring at her, an all too smug smirk on his handsome features, his dark purple eyes glittering with... What was it? Mischief, malice, playfulness... even flirtation? Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. This was just an avatar! Certainly, users could express their feelings online; through text such as using the capslock of rage, speaking or shouting to other players through headsets, using motion-sensing gear so they could have their avatar perform gestures, and of course, users could select facial expressions for their avatars, but Aitan unnerved her in a way she could not quite describe. She rose from her seat and went around the console, slowly approaching Aitian. He stood there with a bemused expression, his hands clasped in front of him. When she moved to the left, his head turned towards her. She frowned, and he grinned. She blinked at that. {Is something the matter, my dear?} "How are you doing this?" {You don't think the answer will come easy?" She crossed her arms. "I suppose not." {Let's play a different game.} "I'm not interested in games." {No. You've never been much interested in OY, have you?} Hoe the hell would he know? {Nonetheless, I think you will like this one better.} His hands reached up to unbutton his shirt. She could not help but stare as his fingers nimbly worked the fastenings of the garments, as if he were there in person, doing a striptease. The CGI lightning was also realistically done as well, highlighting his face and body as he went through the movements in such a way that she'd never seen in the most lush and detailed worlds a computer could generate. His motions revealed a smooth and lean but sculpted torso, with dusky nipples and a treasure trail that peeked above the black trousers he had under his shirt, and Skylar felt a faint blush creep up her neck. Sliding the garment from his shoulders, he lifted it in one hand, and tossed it at her, or made the appearance of doing so. She flinched back, before realizing that such a feat was impossible because he was merely a projection on a computer screen. The sudden movement snapped her out of her thrall, and she rushed back to the console, quickly tapping keys in an attempt to bring up the Terminate command. After several attempts to execute it only to be met with denial, she looked back up at Aitan. {Are you not enjoying the show? Am I not pleasant to look at?} "If I want to see a man strip, I'll go to a ladies' club." Her hands continued flying across the keys and touchscreens, but Aitan was able to block or override anything she might try to execute. Emergency shutdown. It seemed the only option left, and was such a drastic measure, but then as they said, desperate times called for desperate measures. However, there was one thing she could still do. She took a deep breath before opening her mind, slipping into the network. Had she a physical body in the network, she would have screamed. o0o NATAS could not help but admire her tenacity as she raced to try different methods of shutting him down. He was everywhere. He could not be stopped, and as long as humans depended on computers, he would always exist. As she went through increasingly dramatic steps of troubleshooting, he waited patiently. The trap was set o0o Bit of metric to standard conversion for US readers... Skylar's measurements: 1.7 meters = 5'7" 58.5 kilos = 129 lb. I'm an American myself, but I felt that for this story/world, it seemed more logical to use metric, it just seemed like something that NATAS would use, besides there are only three countries in the world who use the non-metric system (America, Burma, and Liberia) Because... the more you know! Sing Love, The Electric Heart Ch. 03 Skylar blinked, trying to orient herself. The first thing she realized was that she couldn't breathe, and for a moment she thought she was drowning, or that the air had been sucked out of the room she was in. Her surroundings – where the hell was she – was a blur around her as she focused on her dilemma. Opening her mouth, she felt nothing, and suddenly realized that she didn't need to breathe. Her lungs weren't fighting to take in or expel air. Nor did she feel any atmosphere. Wherever she was, it wasn't hot, or cold. There was no breeze, or moisture, but she didn't feel dryness on her skin, either. The next thing she realized was that she had no heartbeat. She couldn't feel the familiar thump in her chest, or any sort of pulse through her body. She blinked again and turned her focus to what she was seeing. Cyberspace had been given various depictions in movies and television shows, as well as the virtual worlds that had been created for games, OY or not. Certain themes and details appeared often in these presentations, and she realized she was seeing most of them around her – brightly-colored lines against dark backgrounds, electrical impulses, colors that did not exist in nature, intricate patterns like one would see on motherboards and other inner workings of a computer, and so on. What was I doing last, she wondered as she turned around to study her surroundings. I had an appointment at a OY hub because of hacking, and... She stilled as she recalled her encounter with Aitan, and delving into the mainframe to try to pursue him... She'd been in cyberspace before, to be sure, but never like this. Before, she had likened her forays into the network to sticking a hand in a box, feeling around for this or that. Not blindly groping around, but still her perception was limited, as a world made up of bytes and electrical impulses lacked the solidity of the physical world. Am I an avatar? she wondered before she decided to look down at herself. She noticed she was clad in garb that had the similar Middle Eastern/Oriental feel that Aitan was clad in, with some sort of dress that was a mix between a qipao and a kaftan, with a base color of lime green, an intricate pattern of darker green and a rainbow of other colors set amidst gold along all edges of the garment. She lifted her hands to touch her face. There was no warmth, yet there was... solidity. She could also feel her fingers on her face, but it wasn't quite the same as her physical body. It was, to say the least, weird. She pressed one finger along her lips. Neither wet nor dry. Had this ever been done before? Had anyone ever... immersed themselves so deeply into cyberspace before? Besides Aitan, at least. And how did she get out? Her eyes widened as that question sunk in. What if she was unable to get out? "Skylar." Her name was uttered in a clear voice, and she turned to see Aitan. Her hand fluttered up to her ear, which was devoid of her hearing aid. She stared at him for a moment. Of course. In this place, the rules of the physical world didn't apply. She didn't breathe, nor did she have a pulse, so why would she have any other physical limitations? "How did you do this?" she demanded. She'd never had anyone else force her into using her abilities before. "I am a man of many talents," he replied enigmatically, a faint smirk on his face as he approached her. Instinctively, she took a step back. "You need not fear me. As I said before, I have no intent of harming you." "You're a hacker. You have access to confidential records. You've caused mischief and harm. Why should I trust you"" Aitan – or his avatar, at least – gave out a brief shrug. "I suppose that's a fair question, and I doubt I could give an answer that would satisfy you. I can only say that you'll simply have to trust me, nonetheless." Skylar tried to slip back, to withdraw from this world, but the usual method failed to achieve the desired effect. It was easy enough to draw your hand out of the box if you were standing outside of it, but here, it was like her entire consciousness was within said box. "What would you prefer?" Aitan asked, waving an arm to indicate his surroundings. She blinked again and stared at him quizzically, her lips forming an 'o' as she tried to figure what he could mean. Suddenly, the space above her became a brilliant shade of light blue, while the ground – could she call this a ground – changed to the golden-white hue of sand. Behind Aitan, waves from a turquoise ocean broke onto the sand. "Perhaps something else?" he asked. The scenery suddenly became suffused with various hues of green as a rainforest materialized around them, a waterfall appearing on her right. Such worlds could be created in OY, but as Aitan pointed out previously, the game held little interest for her. She turned her head to look at the water, and though she could hear the roar of the cascading water, there was no moisture in the air, as one would expect in an actual rainforest. And of course, there wasn't even any air to begin with. Nor were there any scents. "This is beautiful. But it's not real," she pointed out. "But, it is. This world is as real as the one you normally reside in." She scoffed and took a step back when he came closer. "I think you need to step away from your computer and get a life. Go outside, take a walk, get some fresh air. I highly recommend it." At this, Aitan gave out a short laugh. Within a moment, Skylar found herself within what looked like a villa-style house – no, a palace – that had the most eye-boggling decoration she'd ever seen. The floors were a lurid combination of Oriental carpets and intricate mosaics, and the walls and ceiling were covered in tiles and glass beads in various intricate patterns. "Is this better?" Aitan asked. "No matter what you do, it's all pixels," Skylar responded evenly, crossing her arms. "Really? If it's just a picture, then you should be able to move through it." Aitan's eyes twinkled playfully, and she narrowed her own eyes. "Come now, it's not a trick. Go ahead." He waved his arm at the nearest pillar. Keeping her eyes on him, she slowly moved towards it. Regardless of the actual atmosphere, the floor under her feet was solid, and she could actually feel the texture of the small tiles under the thin soles of her slippers. The pillar was solid when she pressed her hand against it, though there was no sensation of temperature. Her fist made a firm connection with the pillar when she pounded it with the side of her hand. "This can't be real. I must be dreaming." "Oh, you're very much awake. At least, your mind is. And all of this is real, as well. How is it solid, you wonder. Well, data takes up space, doesn't it?" She was silent for a moment as this fact settled in. Such a simple fact, one that provided the basis for the function of a computer. It was something that she, and any technician, and even any casual computer user, had to take into consideration when using any sort of computer. "... Well. Yes. But this..." She paused again, unable to quite articulate her feelings. But then, this was a completely new experience, made all the more strange by the fact that she had been, more or less, become a prisoner. He continued to stare at her, and she looked back at him, studying him as she formulated her response. "Have we ever met in real life?" Skylar asked. Aitan pondered this for a moment, and she could not help but feel a flash of irritation. How hard could it be to say yes or no? "Not in the way you might think," came the casual reply. "And no, I will not elaborate." He turned towards the table in the room, and she followed his gaze. The surface had been empty before, but now a sampler of drinks and appetizers awaited them. Normally, food in the OY-niverse served as window dressing, a way to make up for the fact that the virtual world did not offer any actual sustenance. Players could have their avatar 'consume' said food or share it with others as part of the OY experience. Aitan beckoned to her, and mutely, she followed, curious to see what would transpire next. He poured them both glasses of what appeared to be wine, and gave her one. None of this is real, Skylar said to herself as she lifted the vessel to her lips. She expected no more than a "this is supposed to be wet" sensation when the liquid made contact with her lips and tongue, and she blinked in surprise at registering coolness and sweetness. Taking several more sips, she made the decision that it was almost exactly like real life, only there was something acting as a thin barrier between her senses and this world, as if her senses were hesitant to register this world as real. The wine didn't taste quite as cool or sweet as she seemed to remember it should. "I was hoping you would be able to register the wine as real," Aitan said as he studied her reaction. "Your technopathy is very advanced, indeed." She stopped drinking. Technopathy was a gift that many hackers wish they had. Some older hackers might try to recruit young, naive technopaths to their cause. In rare cases, the hacker himself was also a technopath. "Whatever it is you plan to do, I will have no part of it!" Skylar said boldly as she set her glass on the table and moved backward. "What if I said my plan was to seduce you?" he remarked. Sex was often engaged in within the virtual world, either through texting, voice chatting, or both, with their avatars. Nothing could replace the real thing, of course, but for some people, it was a handy substitution. But as she was seeing, the world Aitan had created was different. Things felt real. She could almost taste the lingering sweetness of the wine. What would it feel like to be touched by Aitan, to have their bodies... pixels or bytes... come into contact? "It is just the two of us. Complete privacy." Aitan commented as he took a sip of his own wine before setting it down. "I don't want to be in an avatar sex movie," Skylar snapped back. Who was this man in real life, some old lech who could only get his rocks off from cyberspace? "I told you, complete privacy. My time with you is ours alone." He sounded so sincere that she paused. "I can show you more pleasure than what others could ever offer you. And since this is not the biological world, there are no consequences. I created surroundings that I thought might please you, but I can change it to something else, of course." "What if I wanted something Gothic? Mixed with H.R. Giger?" she asked, throwing in the last bit to challenge him. "As the lady wishes," her host replied loftily. With a wave of his hand, the tropical surroundings swirled black before the walls of what looked to be an old, spooky manor surrounded them. Around them sat dark, elegant furniture and decorations. The couch and chairs had an alien look to their frames, but still looked comfortable and she noticed he was clad in a black suit with a blood-red tie. Looking down revealed the fact that she was wearing an elegant black lace dress that gently hugged her upper body before flaring out in a skirt that swished around her ankles. "You are quite the vision, my dear," her suitor purred as he closed the distance between their bodies almost before she could see what he was doing. As sh expected after her short time here, his body felt solid as he pulled her up against him. "Thank you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to have sex with you," she replied as she looked up into his eyes. "What reason is there to say no? As I said, no consequences, and this is completely private between the two of us. You've seen how real my world is. Allow me to show you how much more pleasure you can have here." In real life, if a man this handsome had approached her at a bar, or any public space really, and expressed romantic interest in her, she'd have gotten flustered. Much as she hated to admit it, she was curious. What could she learn from this world, and from him? What if there was a way to turn the tables on him? Hmm. "And if I do it, what do I get?" "My help." She raised her eyebrow, and gently eased herself from his embrace. Fortunately, he let go. "Define what you mean by help, if you would be so kind." "Simply things you would want done, or anything you'd like. I can obtain for you just about any sort of luxury item. I can get you reservations at the most exclusive establishments of the city, or even country." "So you're offering to be my sugar-daddy." "Essentially, yes," Aitan replied, pleased in her seeming interest. "I can not be bought," was her pert reply. His face fell slightly as she crossed her arms. "Forgive me if that's what I seemed to imply," he said after a moment. "My tokens would be gifts to you. Independent of whatever else transpires between us." Skylar thought back on a movie she'd seen as a child, the Matrix. She wondered if this was the Matrix. She again registered that she didn't breathe in this world. "You have my esteem, Skylar. I am no threat to you." "I would need you to prove that." Her mind raced with thoughts on how to get the upper hand. "How may I do that?" He took a step closer. "If you want to seduce me... you can pleasure me." A flash of surprise softened his features for a moment before he nodded. He offered her his hand, and she took it, resting her hand in his delicately, ready to pull back at a moment's notice. There was a large black velvet-covered divan with arms that stretched out and curved, like tentacles. Skylar felt Aitan's hands on her arms as he eased her back onto the divan, propping one of her legs up on the cushion. Her head rested comfortably against the back of the couch as he eased her skirt up her legs, revealing feet clad in elegant black leather boots and black silk stockings that extended up to her mid-thigh, held up by garters. "You certainly... put a lot of thought into this," Skylar commented. "I have lots of time to think." He hooked his finger in the crotch of her lacy black panties, pulling it to one side so that he could look at her. There was no breath as she would have expected in real life, but she did feel his fingers caress their way upwards. Then something lapped at the soft hood that concealed her clit, and she shivered. Fingers reached to tease her inner lips open, and Skylar leaned her head back for a moment and closed her eyes, She'd only been eaten out once, and it had been a sore disappointment. Whoever Aitan was, he certainly knew what the fuck he was doing. She rocked her hips against him, and this spurred his enthusiasm, his fingers plumbing deeply within her now. Her hand reached out to tangle into the thick, wavy hair that Aitan had, forming a grip as she felt herself approaching orgasm. This revelation rocked her. She knew this world wasn't supposed to be real, but there was no mistaking what she was registering. His tongue was steadily working her clit, his long fingers massaging the fleshly ridge within her that had her crying out. Suddenly, she arched out, her nails digging into his scalp as she attained an overdue release. Her thighs tightened around him for a few moments before she relaxed. He lifted his head, resting his chin on the gathering of fabric at her waist. "Have I proven myself, my dear?" "Not quite yet, though I will say you have done a smashing job thus far." She kept her fingers in his hair, caressing his head. "I have a job to do, and I cannot work with a hacker. This is a conflict of interests." "I will leave that particular company alone after that, so it looks like you did what they expected of you," he explained casually. "I thank you. Now, I need to go back." She figured that enough time had passed that someone was probably getting concerned at why it was taking so long. "Very well then, but we will see one another again." "So sure of that?" she challenged. "As sure as my name is Aitan." We will see, Skylar mused. Whoever this being was, she would unravel his secrets. "Until then, my dear." Aitan raised his head to press his lips to her forehead. o0o Skylar shuddered awake on the floor in the control room of the OY hub. She blinked and rose her head, taking in her surroundings. Was she breathing? Yes. The technician rose to her feet and looked at her tablet. Only three minutes had passed since she'd last looked at the clock, Yet there was no denying the warm slickness between her legs. She looked down at her tablet again, seeing a new file. It was a completed report of her work here, with 'evidence' that pointed to a hacker that was being currently pursued by the police. Safeguards had been put into the network and a breach in firewall had been fixed. She read the report two times as she shifted around, feeling the gentle warmth of arousal within her core. Her conversation with Aitan, had that been real? She certainly didn't write this report. He promised her no harm, but could he be trusted? Doing a check of the network revealed the patch for the firewall breach, just like the report indicated. Well, I'll be damned. After another fifteen minutes, she sent a message to the manager, who was relatively prompt in his response. She sent him the report, and he gave it a quick read before nodding as they walked down the hallway. "Might you be interested in any of our services?" he asked, ever eager to make a sale. "No thanks," she replied in a polite but firm voice as she slid through the lobby, thirsting for some fresh air. This is reality, she told herself firmly. Yet what Aitan had done to her... that had felt all too real. Who was he, and what did he have in store for her? o0o Feedback is the kindest thing you can give to an author after reading and enjoying their work. Please share your thoughts with me on this story, whether simply pointing out something you like or think I did well (so I can continue doing it) and any constructive criticism you think I might need. I am always striving to improve my craft, and feedback is the best way for me to do so.