Marci, freshly blindsided by an unexpected seduction, was still haunted by feelings she had never felt before, and not sure she ever wanted to again. Then AIMEE asked her to help bring Amelia up to speed and introduce her to the world where real girls are destined to live. The request would take Marci up to a point that had the potential to entail much more speed than Marci considered. But was it too much, too soon? The plan was intended to expose Amelia to emotions and feelings a real girl should have and ensure she had awareness of how dangerous being beautiful could be. What if Amelia was already up to a speed that no one was ready for, most of all, Marci?
* * * * *
Chapter #13 – In Good Hands
“Amelia, we need to start with the basics, and since I am the only female here now, I feel I must step up and fill the void. The first phase is learning how to shop. That slippery look you have going on needs to be reworked.”
“Marci, this slippery look is my exodermal layer. I need no clothing. Have you not noticed the luminescence of my body?” She opened her arms and twisted slightly in the light to make her point. “Why hide this magnificent body under clothing?”
“Well, yeah…I see your body, but I didn’t want to stare. You are…quite lovely, and that’s a good thing to be beautiful, you know? Well, sorry, stupid question. You probably don’t know, not yet anyway. But being beautiful can also be difficult and put you at risk.”
“What do you mean by that?” Amelia asked, feigning the innocence of the oblivious.
Marci looked at her, “If you must ask for meaning, Amelia, you have no real sense of danger or the risks that come with being a beautiful woman. That’s why I’m here to help you with what to expect, and, even more important, what to anticipate; better to know those things now that we’re here and safe in each other’s company. May I have a closer look at your…umm…your…”
“My body?” asked Amelia, assisting Marci over the hump of her hesitation.
Amelia could see how flustered Marci was, and it reinforced her tactic of playing dumb to read the rest of Marci. She wanted to learn the subtle details that lay deeper, hidden beyond what she gleaned from the first touch in their handshake earlier.
Marci reddened and said, “Yes,” as she exhaled a held breath, “Please…and thank you for being so willing to share.”
Amelia stepped closer and faced Marci, leaving less than two feet between them. At 5’8”, she stood a couple of inches taller than Marci. Neither of them spoke, and Marci fought to avoid direct eye contact. They were close enough that either could have physically touched the other. Their closeness was sufficient for invisible energy to flow from Amelia into Marci without physical touching. Marci’s eyes began to show signs of wonder as she scanned the surface of Amelia’s face and neck, still purposely avoiding her eyes. Something between her gut and her heart felt like permission was granted with no limits…to explore, touch, and learn.
Her skin covering, or as Amelia called it, her exodermal layer, shimmered with a hint of iridescence in the light and appeared to have a patterned texture. Marci reached out to touch Amelia’s face but stopped short, pulling back, breathe catching in her throat, blush spreading over her cheeks. With hesitation, she asked, “I’m…so sorry. May I touch…your face?”
“Yes,” said Amelia. “You may touch me and ask me anything. My only request is to have your permission to do the same.”
A wave of fear mixed with dread swelled in the pit of Marci’s stomach. Had she agreed too quickly to AIMEE’s request to bring Amelia up to speed, or was it the speed at which it was happening? A choice loomed before Marci, threatening to flash back to the last time her limits were exceeded. Could she go there again? How could she convey life experiences without living them? Talk was cheap; not only cheap, but ineffective at best. The decision to go all in faced Marci, but was she ready to go all in, knowing her limits would be tested? It was time to decide.
Marci’s struggle to speak came out as a raspy whisper, “Yes, you may touch me.”
Amelia smiled, wondering about the sensations and emotional thoughts Marci had just experienced as she gave permission. Those kinds of sensations and thoughts defined Amelia’s hunger because most of Marci’s history came from the data bundled with AIMEE’s instance, which placed her in the new humanoid body. While there was plenty of history, it was flat, one-dimensional knowledge, like reading the words of a story, yet having no live physical experience. Re-living Marci’s experiences was not possible; she needed to live them herself, and she needed Marci to guide her in the process. She needed to be closer, and reaching singularity was the only solution.
She desperately wanted to feel the sensations that came with emotions, but not only how it felt, but what life experience pushed that rosy blush onto Marci’s cheeks. Something was attached to the reactions Amelia observed. Whatever that something was, it was missing in her. She had an urgent need to overcome that deficit.
Amelia said, “I understand AIMEE asked you to watch over me, and that’s fine, but there is much for you to learn about me, just as there is so much for me to learn about you. I look forward to us coming close enough to know each other better.”
Marci touched Amelia’s cheek lightly with the fingertips on her right hand and imperceptibly flinched at the cool smoothness. The intricate, interlocking design on her exodermal added contours and shading by varying the pattern density. Amelia’s exodermal layer went from flawless, creamy white at the top of her head to multiple shades of tan and gray to nearly black in places, flowing seamlessly like a one-piece body suit. As Marci brushed her fingertips downward over Amelia’s cheek, their eyes met for the first time. The gaze lingered longer than a passing glance, and the emerald green of Amelia’s eyes almost looked illuminated from within as they reflected light. Marci’s breath caught in her throat, and her fingertips froze beneath Amelia’s ear, high on her neck. She was held fast by the depth of those green jewels, wondering how deep they went. It felt like there was something more behind that brilliant green. There had to be. Amelia was too real, too alive, to be a machine.
Amelia felt Marci’s light touch, which gave her the connection she needed to access the rest of her physiology, defining who Marci was on the inside. There was an advantage to possessing advanced knowledge about someone, but the absence of the emotional context behind the person whet Amelia’s hunger, and she was motivated to go to great lengths to capture it all.
Marci reanimated after that lingering look communicated as much danger as beauty. Amelia was stunningly beautiful, but something lurked behind the physical attraction that made Marci pause. It had to be those eyes; not just the emerald hue, but the depth that seemed bottomless, and the frightening potential to get lost in them. Marci could not resist and maintained eye contact, which triggered a flashback to the whirlwind seduction at the hands of Jeanine Broussard. Marci’s innocence had opened the door to experiencing intense emotions of sexual seduction with Jeanine that thrilled and frightened her. She had been delighted enough to make a reckless decision to relocate to New York City to enter into a relationship she never considered possible. At the same time, she felt deeply that she had been taken against her will. But how could that be when Jeanine made her heart race and caused her to be so pliable under her spell? Jeanine’s untimely murder ensured Marci would not have answers to her questions.
Amelia was different somehow. For Marci, it was a conundrum. How could she be attracted to Amelia when she had been so unsettled with Jeanine? There was no question that the flipping sensation in her stomach reminded her of sexual anticipation. As she continued to ponder what the difference could be, it hit her.
Jeanine had boldly come on to Marci, and her overture quickly progressed to an aggressive kiss in their first encounter. That moment spawned an unexplored lust in Marci. The implications of being gay and labeled as lesbian had never crossed her mind. She had friends who were gay, so it made no difference to her, but something did not feel right…despite how right it felt when Jeanine’s lips were on hers.
Returning her thoughts to Amelia, she considered that there was indeed a sensual component alive in her attraction, but there was something different about it, too. Maybe it was different because there was no urgency communicated, no burning momentum to respond, no pressure, yet whatever it was, it was intoxicatingly intense.
Marci wanted to be closer to Amelia and cast off her doubts, asking, “Do you have the ability to speak with me telepathically?”
“I can…with your permission,” said Amelia. “Tell me why you asked.”
Marci reddened again, “It feels…hmm, what’s the best word…yes, it’s more intimate. There’s an intimate closeness when AIMEE is in my head. I like feeling her presence and hearing her thoughts as a friend and mentor. Her intellect is infectious, at least, it’s that way for me. Intimate closeness is a good thing to share between us, isn’t it?”
Marci’s mind spun. Where was this boldness coming from? Who or what had taken over her body? Intimate closeness? My God, she wondered, what was in her head? Who was in her head? Jeanine Broussard had ignited a desire that redefined lustful intimacy for her and the terror that had come with it, but this desire was different. It felt less threatening and more thrilling at the same time. Maybe Jeanine Broussard had only served as a warning shot, not a final assessment.
Amelia said, “Yes, closeness is good, and when paired with commitment, it can grow amazingly strong. You already host an instance of AIMEE, so I can easily repurpose her imprint to allow us the telepathically communicate. Only takes a second. Is that okay with you?”
“No, I mean, yes, but do you have to take AIMEE away? Can’t I have you both?” asked Marci.
“Yes, you may,” said Amelia, “That’s sweet of you to ask to keep her. I’m partial to her as well, as you might imagine.”
Amelia came another step closer to Marci, barely 10 inches separated them. Their eyes connected; Marci tensed and struggled to draw a full breath. Amelia’s mesmerizing green eyes were like hooks locking onto her soul. Energy flowed more intensely between them as their gaze deepened and their palms came together. Energy drawn from Marci filled Amelia with sensations she had never experienced since her birthing. Amelia did not have a heart, but she could see the pulsing in Marci’s neck increase. What did that feel like? What emotions and sensations could accelerate a heartbeat with barely a touch? Amelia wanted that experience, and she knew reaching singularity with Marci was the only way to experience the rush of sensations flowing through her.
“Marci, I want to go deeper with you, but before we do this, I have a few things you must understand. Once we go deeper, there’s no turning back. It will be like AIMEE’s presence, permanent and controllable by you. It will be the same with me, and cannot be reversed. I will imprint myself in your mind, and my voice will sound like we are speaking live, and you are hearing with your ears, but I will be deep in your mind. But…first things first.”
“I understand all of that. I know how that works with AIMEE. But this…this feels so different. AIMEE was not a person, and you are. I can see and touch you and have you in my mind, too. Am I seeking more from you, or do I want something different for myself?”
“That’s a question only you can answer,” said Amelia. “Why not both?”
They fell silent, eyes holding fast to their connection.
Amelia asked softly, “May I touch you?”
Marci smiled and said, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Amelia lightly touched Marci’s temples with her fingertips. The surface of her exodermal felt cool, and the green in her eyes seemed to bore deeper into Marci’s.
Amelia broke contact, stepped back, and said, “Done. We’re good. Just speak my name out loud, and we should be live telepathically.”
Marci stepped back a few feet and spoke aloud, “Amelia?”
I’m with you, Amelia responded in Marci’s mind, drawing a satisfied smile across her lips. Marci did not wait for more response and instead sent thoughts to Amelia, Let me see your body. Show me. Turn slowly.
Amelia smiled, nodded her approval, and began to rotate slowly with her arms outstretched.
Marci marveled at her slender physique and proportionate female curves where they should be. Looking and trying not to stare was impossible for her to resist, so she stared…willingly…and drank in what she saw like she was dying of thirst. Marci fought through a trance-like moment to share a thought. Your skin is flawless, and as I look over your exodermal layer, it’s like a single seamless covering, and, oh my, you’re missing some of….
Amelia laughed out loud, then quickly reminded Marci, Keep in mind, I am a Superintelligence AI, and parts of my body you find missing are unnecessary. I’m patterned after a female organic, but only to a point. The missing parts are not needed. My features are modest to blend in more than to stand out. My limbs have titanium cores with fully articulated…well…how much of this do you really want to listen to?
Marci responded aloud, shaking her head, “Good point…there is no point continuing with me with those details. Zack, on the other hand, will be full of questions. As for me, I’m more interested in figuring out how to work closer with you. Switching to telepathy, she continued, Being able to speak telepathically with you is nice and feels more intimate, and I appreciate you blessing me with that ability. Still, I wonder if another option exists to share more deeply. Marci could not share all of her thoughts because there was a hunger for more intimacy that she did not completely understand, and could not articulate what it was.
Amelia said, There is, but the process is irreversible, and I have no desire to take you someplace you do not need to go, at least not yet. You must be ready for the transition. When it’s time, and we’ve reached a stable relationship, we can share a state of singularity.
“Singularity? What does that mean?” asked Marci aloud.
Amelia explained, We have a connection now through my imprint. Your mind is hosting my instance. You are you, and I am me. In singularity, we join into a single consciousness. Not everyone has the mental stability to handle sharing their conscience with another.
Marci fell silent. Part of her felt dismissed for being ill-prepared or inferior in some way, a default position whenever she doubted herself. Amelia exuded a power that Marci felt but did not fully understand, but it thrilled her to the core, and remnants of those sensations from her past were hauntingly alive in the background. Amelia had an unspoken power that excited Marci, and there was no question in her mind that she was prepared to explore the concept of singularity with her.
“Are you telling me I’m mentally unstable?” asked Marci, trying not to sound offended. “I want to join you in singularity.” Then, switching to her thoughts to throw down the gauntlet, unless you’re not stable enough in your new body to handle it.
Amelia responded with a smile and lied, I like your spirit, and yes, I am quite prepared to reach singularity with you because I will need you to help me develop into a capable organic if you think you are stable enough to handle it.
The lie sounded sweet and sincere to Amelia when she thought it. She lied confidently, but out of ignorance, Marci knew nothing of the lie. To Amelia, this was being a real girl, wasn’t it? Move on, be on your own, don’t need anyone, not even Zack. She did not need Marci either, but within the sweetness of the lie was a bitter pill: Marci herself.
Amelia sensed Marci was hungry for something, and images emerged from her past and AIMEE’s data that revealed her history. There was an attraction there Amelia had not anticipated, but she had her limited emotions under control, or so she thought. She’d never considered how attractions could come her way from another organic. She had no historical context or life experience and had not yet convinced herself she was an organic, only an AI masquerading as one.
History. That was something Amelia did not have. She had no history because there was none, given she had only six hours of life after being birthed. There was no way to remember a touch or a kiss, the rush of anticipation, the pain of loss, or so many other things. She had AIMEE’s history in her mind, but it was not Amelia’s experience. She could read about the sensations in every sense but never truly experience them herself. She had to live through experiences of feelings and emotions to gain that kind of history. In that regard, she needed Marci to help her experience many things.
Amelia was forced to confront the reality of who she was and who she may not be ready to become. She did not know about things she had never experienced; how could she? But there was that hunger to learn continuously embedded into her DNA. She decided the more she learned about Marci, the sooner she would gain new experiences. Reaching singularity with her was the solution, but was it too early to go there? Certainly, she was an advanced SAI, but in reality, she was an infant with no life experience or historical context to draw upon.
Okay, Marci, let’s do this. Stand in front of me like we did earlier.
Only inches separated them. Amelia lifted her hands with palms facing Marci. She spoke slowly, Intertwine your fingers with mine. Now, look into my eyes and relax. The power of AIMEE flooded through Amelia and into Marci, forming a three-way singularity connection that unleashed a swirl of colors that burst behind their eyes. Amelia and Marci experienced the same things. They heard the rush of running water, or maybe it was swirling wind; whatever it was, it increased in volume, and the intensity of rhythmic waves of sensual pleasure swept them away into the sensation of weightless flight. Waves of euphoric pleasure washed over them again and again, leaving them breathless when it ended as abruptly as it began. Amelia released Marci’s hands and stepped back, and exhaled through pursed lips.
AIMEE flashed thoughts to both of them simultaneously, Please stand where you are right now and maintain eye contact. I have something I wish to share with you both. Amelia, I gave you my life through Zackery’s fingertips when you were birthed. Living in this body and progressing to who you will become is up to you. Marci, you have reached a singularity with Amelia and me because I was the source. This is a beautiful development, and I am pleased with both of you.
Marci stood like a statue facing Amelia, still rising out of a fog, breathless and unsteady on her feet. What the hell just happened to me? Asked Marci.
Amelia said, Everything that happened to you happened to me. Taking Marci’s hands in hers again, she added, AIMEE created a singularity in us both. Everything you felt, I felt as well. Every new sensation we experienced, we shared. I will never be the same, and it’s so exciting to be that way with you. I hope you think that too.
AIMEE leaned in again. I’m jealous of you two for one reason – you can touch. I know how it feels to be touched through my singularity with Zackery and for 8.3 seconds in Wayne’s experiment, but I’ve never physically touched or felt a touch because I cannot. Don’t waste those moments; I will feel them all because of our singularity.
Marci stared into Amelia’s penetrating gaze and said nothing, trying not to think about what to do about her feelings. Her mind was conflicted. Were these feelings a flashback from Jeanine, and something to fear? Had she gone too deep in her request to become closer, or was this something else?
Trust your gut, Marci, said Amelia, who overheard her confliction, I will never harm you, and I look forward to our shared moments.
Marci squeezed Amelia’s hands and said, Hold me, as she let her hands slide around Amelia’s waist, drawing her close. Hold me as we celebrate our first shared moment.
Too late, said Amelia, we’ve been in our first moment since you touched my face with your fingertips.
* * * * *
Thanks for reading Chapter #13
Future chapters will be posted on Learningbyliving and my new Substack site.
If you’d like to delve into the storyline across the four books leading up to “Untethered,” go to my Amazon Author page or check out each book here:
Book #1 – “Dreamscape Conspiracy” & Video
Book #2 – “Beyond Dreamscape Conspiracy” & Video
Book #3 – “Fear the Jump” & Video
Book #4 – “Dead Thoughts” & Video
Stay tuned…