Chapter 15: “Liftoff!”

I kept my eyes closed and started counting down in my head towards our liftoff.

—John. I am prepared to act as your augment so you can join the other passengers in the virtual travel salon.—

For a moment I debated on staying in reality for the launch. But, since there were no windows, and due to the violence of the launch, I decided to accept Ohmu’s offer and signaled my consent. I was also curious as to what version of the virtual launch simulation we would be using. Again, I was surprised at how quickly my view of the capsule interior faded away.

I found myself standing in the Victorian-era furnished dining car of a grand zeppelin. I’d never been in this launch simulation before and again, I was struck at how real this shell’s interface portrayed the scene. The other seven human passengers were in three groups seated at the various tables filing the dining car.

Beyond the tables where my fellow passengers sat were a dozen more tables. These were also occupied but only with set dressings (digital simulations dressed in period clothing) who were ignoring the real passengers. I looked down and saw that I was in my white tuxedo virtual outfit. I also saw that my appearance had been updated and was now that of my younger shell.

Standing next to me I found a surprise. It was an alabaster-skinned, petite woman who was smiling at me with impossibly white perfect teeth showing through turquoise illuminated painted lips. She appeared to be my age and had straight black hair that fell to her shoulders. I glanced down to observe that her voluptuous compact body was covered in a very tight-fitting iridescent black body stocking.

Her outfit must have been actively tracking my eye movements because wherever I looked there were illuminated sparkle-like effects in turquoise swirling around. No clandestine ogling of this lady! Still, the image had been created to put on a show, so I drank in her full image a feature at a time before raising my gaze back to her face. Her eyes were two like large, twinkling pools of illuminated turquoise. They were framed by a pair of cute little elfin ears that were just visible through the silk strands of her hair.

“Hello, John. Do you like your new virtual image? I made it younger to match your current shell,” the magical woman said to me with a sensual, husky voice that was just familiar enough to be recognizable.

“Ohmu! Is that you?” I blundered out.

Her smile widened. “Yes, I’ve recently started using this appearance in virtual. I hope you do not mind.”

I was awestruck for a moment before remembering myself. “Absolutely not! You look stunning!”

She inclined her head to me and then gestured to the table where Beatrice and Sova sat chatting. We moved to join them, and I pulled back the chair for Ohmu to allow her to sit before me. She smiled up at me and winked. The other two already seated were smiling at us and sharing knowing glances. I just rolled my eyes, and I took my own seat. I noted that the humans looked like perfected versions of their real images.

Before we could speak we were interrupted by the rough coughing of the two nearby engine nacelles firing up. I turned to watch out the large window portholes and saw the nacelle’s wooden propeller blades begin to spin up to speed. The short exhaust tips from the engines were even belching smoke and the occasional flame.

Back on our table, I saw that there was now a small clock display showing in the crystal table centerpiece. It was currently at twelve seconds and counting down. I imagined that back in the real world the launcher was belching cold boil-off vapor as its eight hydrogen engines prepared to fire. Outside our virtual gondola, the ancient engines had reached full speed and I felt the slight movement as our mooring lines were cast aside.

The clock on the table had reached zero and began counting up. I felt none of the tremendous vibrations and building pressure of the real launch. Here in virtual, the scenery outside the gondola began to move past us as we gained speed. We were off. I was enjoying the display. I saw Ohmu watching me with a smile. Beatrice and Sova were busy chatting again and were ignoring the show.

I looked around the cabin and saw that some of the other human passengers were watching the virtual launch while others ignored it to focus on chatting with their tablemates. A minute later, four virtual hostesses appeared from a rear cabin. One came to our table to take our drink orders. Ohmu chose a flute of vapor wine while the two women asked for iced enhancement tea. I ordered a glass of Variety. It had been over a decade since I had enjoyed any and I was eager to see how this new interface handled the flavor switches.

Our hostess departed and immediately returned with a tray of our drinks. I smiled at the quickness. It was unrealistic but was better than just having our drinks appear in front of us. I took my glass from the tray as it was presented to me. Its appearance was that of a swirling, multicolored liquid. I took a sip, and the taste of cherry brandy filled my mouth.

Oh, the flavors were so bold! I also felt the digital tingle as the virtual rendition of my body absorbed the simulated alcohol. I had to admit, it was delicious! Both the taste and the digital pleasure sensations that came with it. Ohmu sipped her vapors. I wondered if she felt any sensations like humans did or just ordered something to better fit in. Rather than risk spoiling the illusion, I chose to not ask. Who knew though, maybe she was having a digital orgasm or something with every sip?

My second sip of the Variety tasted of a peaty, caramel-flavored bourbon. This sip was also ice cold. I swished the rich taste around my mouth. It was almost better than the real swill I had spent the past nine years drinking in the wild. Well, not really but that’s what I told myself as I felt the alcohol cravings anew. Each following sip was a surprise and the flavors were never repeated. I could go on drinking all day long and never suffer a repeat. Variety was an amazing creation.

Our virtual engines backfired and caused a slight shutter to pass through the dining gondola. I looked at the clock and saw that our time after launch was just about when our first booster stage would have been dropping off. The engine fakery was just a signal to let us know that the launch was proceeding normally. I caught movement out the port window. It was a large stork flapping along just ahead of us. We were about to run it over!

I smiled as our portside propellor grew closer and closer to the stork. At the last instant, it looked back and saw its approaching doom. With a frenzy of wing flapping and a few flying feathers, it again accelerated and dived away from our engines. I had to admit, this was a pretty clever show. Off in the distance were a group of colorful hot-air balloons. The clouds were fanciful shapes also and they would take note of your gaze to act out according to their shapes.

I eventually found my gaze back on my android tablemate. I leaned over and whispered to her. “Ohmu, I have to say, you look absolutely stunning. I’ve never seen you portray yourself so lifelike. I am impressed.”

She smiled her perfect smile at me. “Oh, this old thing? I just threw it on.”

I laughed with her at the age-old comeback. “Before, you were always disembodied in virtual. Why opt for a real appearance now?”

Ohmu’s human-like face actually flashed a quick series of emotions. I detected a bit of embarrassment and the hint of a blush.

“You are aware that I have made changes since the incident. In addition to the physical changes to increase my processing abilities, I have also made certain changes to my base programming and how I interact with my surroundings. My new virtual appearance is a result of these changes. It affects my interactions with others and to simplify, the changes make me happy, John,” she said quietly.

She must have noticed my expression as I gave her body another once-over.

“I know I am not human, John. Despite my current virtual resemblance to one, it is not my intent to deceive anyone that I am,” she said.

We continued chatting. Beatrice and Sova soon included us in their ongoing discussion. I found out that I was notorious for having been involved in an incident that had affected Sova’s ancestors. Her great-great-grandmother was Hannah Crather Vinnytsia. The Vinnytsia being from the region in the Ukraine where her template colony had been situated.

Once I recalled the incident from Sova’s recounting, I took over from my point of view.

“It was a few years after the master AI had been defeated. One of the original nine survivor clones, Li Qiang, had been abusing his companion, Hannah Crather. The girl had snapped and taken a rock to Li Qiang one night while he slept. I had to go there because the colony was torn over what to do about the incident.”

I went on to tell more of the story’s details. The Hannahs had always been a little quirky. It was due to the trauma the original had suffered before she had been placed in bio-suspension. The template colony in Ukraine had not been the only one where there had been incidents with her clones. After hearing the facts of the case and listening to the testimony of the other humans in the colony about how Li had mistreated the girl, I had ruled in her favor.

Naomi had placed the girl into bio-suspension to do a bit of mental tidying up to help her get past the incident. Li was healed from his injuries and also placed in bio-suspension. He was fully scanned and had certain mental adjustments made to reduce his tendencies for future abuse. All of his other clones were also placed under AI watch and over the following decades, were mentally adjusted whenever they acted up or needed other medical treatment.

I was torn about the whole thing but by then, the early version of Conscientia had been created and the human-peer quorum had been involved with the decision. It had been the first time forced mental manipulation had been used as a punishment or treatment for bad behavior.

One good thing had come from the incident in Ukraine. I had become friends with Hannah Crather Vinnytsia. Our friendship would endure until eighty years later when I commissioned her to act as a midwomb when I had wanted another child. She had carried the embryo of my daughter Larissa Daring. Because of our close relationship, I had also hired Hannah to act as my baby girl’s mother figure for most of the next decade.

During that time, Hannah and I had lived much as a husband and wife does. She had been a good mother to my daughter. A truly gifted and caring parent who loved her occupation. Last I had heard, she had birthed over sixty children in her role as a midwomb. She had even switched to a custom shell that was designed around the role. It would not have surprised me in the slightest if she remembered each of them and kept up with them all during the years since.

An hour later our chat was interrupted by the virtual sunlight moving in the salon as our airship slowed and turned. Off in the distance, I could see the docking spire of one of the great skyscrapers piercing the solid cloud cover below. This was our destination in virtual and our cue that the real orbital craft was also nearing the end of its journey.

Our true flight from launch to Gateway Sigma had taken a bit over three hours but the virtual travel salon ran at a slower rate of about one-third of real, so our airship flight had seemed to last just an hour. Some of the other human passengers had already left the dining room which meant that they were back to their shells and aware in the launch capsule.

Ohmu touched my arm. I noticed her real appearing hand felt warm and soft. Our skin contact caused an enhanced tingling sensation as well. “John, I have been in contact with Stellux. The torch ship ‘Prancer’ has been fully fueled and made ready for our use. Total transit time to Vesta will be eighty-five hours with the majority of that at one point six G. Also, Ms. Diduch will be the only other human passenger.”

It took me a moment to remember that Diduch was Sova’s surname. “How long will we be at Sigma?” I asked.

“We will leave as soon as you and Ms. Diduch are aboard Prancer. There is no rush to transfer as the torch will be using a direct brachistochrone trajectory,” the beautiful vision replied.

I had remembered my previous high-G flights. For the most part, they sucked and if not for the quick travel they allowed, I would have avoided them.

“Good, I’ll want to use the facilities in the rotational ring of the station before we leave, Ohmu.”

“Of course, John. Shall we depart?” she asked. I stood and pulled her to her feet as I rose. She felt light but solid as she followed. Before I released her I pulled her in close for a quick hug. She laughed as we shared the embrace. I noted the tingles I felt were stronger depending upon which portions of her anatomy were in contact with my virtual representation.

“Thanks for everything, Ohmu,” I said as the virtuality faded.

I became aware in my shell to find the ejection chair seat restraints had been removed all except for a lap belt that kept me from floating freely. There was a clank, and I felt a slight change in air pressure as our docking to the station was completed. Beatrice and Sova were already floating towards the capsule’s hatch. I noticed that Sova had very shapely upper thighs as her skirt floated freely revealing hints of her hidden treasures.

I heard the five humans below us moving around and waiting for our upper seating level to be cleared. I had better get moving. Ohmu had released itself and was floating by the hatch waiting to help guide me out. I did so without scraping or banging the hatch opening which I took as a win. I was rusty in zero G.

Outside I followed Beatrice and Sova to a nearby departure and arrival lounge. There we made our goodbyes to Beatrice as she had to hurry off to catch a lunar shuttle which was already holding its departure for her arrival. After that, Ohmu, Sova, and I made our way down the long corridor towards the station’s hub.

The tube leading to the hub was busy, so we kept to the ‘slow’ wall moving mostly handhold to handhold. This was to not disrupt the other humans who skimmed along the other five walls of the hexagonally shaped corridor at a much faster speed. Soon we had reached the hub and rode a lift down a spoke to the public ring level. This level provided a bit over point six G and had many outlets for food and beverages. Sova and I had lunch in a coffee shop. We both had the ‘go’ versions that were fortified with a fast-acting stool softener.

Half an hour later I and my new travel companion were toilet compartment buddies as we laughed and farted through the purging of our shell’s bowel contents. No one wanted to suffer constipation at high G. We survived the process. At least the fume extractors in the toilet compartments were functioning adequately.

After we each cleaned up with a quick shower, we were measured by a garment-fitter’s scanner which produced two customized high-G suits. I then helped Sova squeeze into hers and was able to confirm that the rest of Sova’s charms were as tantalizing as the glimpses I had gotten back in the launcher hatchway. She had a smile and a hint of a feral look when she helped me into mine. If we had more time to dally before we left I might have suggested something physical.

Soon, we were back in our regular flight suits with our new high-G suits bundled up for transport. We would not need to wear them for five or six hours because we needed to move our torch well clear of the lower orbital station before we engaged its hellfire drive.

The lift back to the station’s hub was packed. Gateway Sigma was the largest of the five stations dedicated to human intersystem transportation. Most of the station’s current occupants were transients who were waiting for the slower scheduled transports to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

At the hub we turned and floated down the long terminal arm where Prancer’s shuttle was currently docked. This was a small and very short-ranged transfer pod which would take us to the actual torch ship parked in the same orbit but twelve kilometers trailing the station. The ultra-high neutron flux reactor at Prancer’s heart needed to be kept well away from the populated station, even when its control rods were fully in place.

Ohmu led the way into the shuttle’s small spherical passenger cabin. I found our baggage had already been secured aboard. Since the bulk of the short transfer would be in micro-G, there were no actual seats. We simply attached ourselves to the curved inside around the entry hatch. The hatch shut and I felt the pressure increase slightly as the cabin’s integrity was verified. Soon, there was a jolt, and we were floating free of the station.

The transfer pod used electrically heated hot gas thrusters and we felt their push as they fired and moved the pod away from Sigma. We were heading to a slightly higher orbit from the stations to do the rendezvous. Prancer would use its own boosters to meet us in the new orbit to save our having to drop back down to meet it. If all the math was correct we would rendezvous with the torch ship in fourteen minutes.

Ten minutes later Sova and I were clustered around the pod’s one viewport watching the approaching torch ship. As all high thrust spacecraft were, Prancer was a powerful-looking brute. Using the magnification of my smart irises I was able to scan the ship from bow to stern.

The torch was long at well over three hundred meters. It was also strongly built with a massive hexagonal truss structure linking the various components. At the nose was a large pockmarked circular slab of dense metal which formed our primary impact shield. As the ship could reach almost one percent of light speed it would need the protection.